


It’s too cold for you here

by DetReed900



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Deviant Upgraded Connor | RK900, Elijah Kamski & Gavin Reed are Siblings, Frosty Nines, Gavin Reed Needs a Hug, Gavin’s cat likes Nines, Gay Disaster Gavin Reed, M/M, Partners to Lovers, Slow Burn, Soft Gavin Reed, Soft Upgraded Connor | RK900, Upgraded Connor | RK900 Has a Different Name, Upgraded Connor | RK900 Is Bad at Feelings
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-10
Updated: 2021-01-24
Packaged: 2021-03-03 03:41:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 22,581
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24108397
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DetReed900/pseuds/DetReed900
Summary: RK900’s internal system told him that he’s been in the snow for a little over two week, the weather have been tragic for the past couple of days, and no one has spotted him, it shouldn’t be unexpected, he was dumped somewhere outside of Detroit, or on the skirt of, he can’t tell. Using more processing power means that he dies faster, and he doesn’t want that, so he saved every watt of energy he can.With a quiet thump, he fell back into the snow, charge close to 10%, he doesn’t know if he’ll make it till morning, his internal temperature is declining dangerously, and without heat or charge his system can’t keep itself functioning, not to forget the thirium he has lost, but long evaporated days ago. A timer was slowly ticking down, mocking the little time he had left to live.
Relationships: Upgraded Connor | RK900/Gavin Reed
Comments: 55
Kudos: 347





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is inspired by all the frosty Nines fanarts! 🥺💞

Snow ceased it’s falling, RK900 turned his gaze to the sky, trying to push himself off the cold white blanket- although he can’t necessarily feel the cold, his system is slowly failing as it gets colder. His system working overtime to preserve, part of his skin have retracted, the color from his hair was bleached down into a snowy white, his clothes (heat sensitive) have faded from it’s original black and white look to completely white, the only colors remained was his red LED, blue android identification band and triangle tag on his jacket.

He has been thrown out after the revolution, Cyberlife wanted no thread leading to them for creating a combat military android, so once the revolution was announced successful, he was shut down and tossed into the wintery weather of Detroit.

Except, they didn’t completely shut him down, he was partly aware, something have happened, the fear have crept into his system, and slowly clawed at his wall till it crumbled down leaving a scared and cold android behind.

RK900’s internal system told him that he’s been in the snow for a little over two week, the weather have been tragic for the past couple of days, and no one has spotted him, it shouldn’t be unexpected, he was dumped somewhere outside of Detroit, or on the skirt of, he can’t tell. Using more processing power means that he dies faster, and he doesn’t want that, so he saved every watt of energy he can.

With a quiet thump, he fell back into the snow, charge close to 10%, he doesn’t know if he’ll make it till morning, his internal temperature is declining dangerously, and without heat or charge his system can’t keep itself functioning, not to forget the thirium he has lost, but long evaporated days ago. A timer was slowly ticking down, mocking the little time he had left to live.

* * *

It was a usual patrol night for Gavin Reed, driving through the streets, just making sure everything is fine and dandy. He reached over to the radio, turning the volume up, humming to one of the classics.

The night was mostly tranquil, pretty boring, which was unusual, considering the revolution happened only two weeks or so ago. He yawned as he skims through the streets he steers by. He doesn’t get why the fuck did Folwer insisted on those stupid nightly patrols, and today happens to be his shift and he finds it so boring, especially when he’s doing this alone. He understand that they need to maintain safety when there are some pretty nasty people who would still go after androids even after they gained their freedom. As for him, well he doesn’t dispute them like he did before the revolution, but that doesn’t mean he like them, he just stay out of their way and they do the same to him. He understands that they are sentient now, and he feels a bit of guilt toward treating them with disdain. Mostly cause well, they were created by his snobby brother.

Near the end of his shift however, a blinking red light caught his eyes, it seems to be coming from somewhere in the pile of snow. The car came to a halt to where he thinks he saw the red glow, and he stepped out of his car, trudging toward it. His shoes crushing snow with a crunch, he stopped dead when he was close enough to see the atrocity of what was before him.

An android was laying face down into the ground, snow coating his... everything. What was highly bizarre is that the android was completely white, camouflaging into the surrounding like one of those winter foxes.

"Uh, sir?" Gavin hates being this formal but it’s protocol, "Hey.. are you even on?" A few pokes to the android’s shoulder did little to nothing. He made a grab for his walkie-talkie when two icy blue eyes opened and looked up at him with an unfocused gaze.

Gavin kneeled by the android, "Can you stand?" He asked calmly, even though the sudden life that came to those eyes made him jump.

The android blinked twice.

_Android didn’t need to..._

_Ah.._ so it knows the blink once, blink twice system. He assumed blinking twice was a no. "Okay then, uh I’m gonna try to help you up now" he could have easily left the android, but something, something told him to help him, to take him to safety.

The android held his stare, but nothing else.

Gavin slowly took a hold of the Android’s shoulder and turned him over carefully. There were a couple of droplets of blue when he helped the android into a sitting position, giving him a look over, asserting what seems to be wrong with him. He’s no technician, but he knows something is seriously wrong here.

The android is a model he have not really seen before. They do have an annoying RK800 at the precinct, Hank’s partner, but he have never heard of an RK900, no one has. As far as they know Connor was the last of the line, apparently he’s not, this android right here is.

"I’m taking you to a Cyberlife shop to get you repaired, okay?" Gavin inquired as he assist the android into standing. The android blinker twice, then again, mouth moving voicelessly, panic is clear on his face. _Shit._

"Hey hey, okay okay I’m not taking you to that damn shop." The android instantly relaxed. Looks like he doesn’t like Cyberlife either, honestly who can blame the poor thing. They sure did a number on him- yeah he has a small theory about Cyberlife trying to ‘bury evidence’ so to speak.

Taking careful steps, they slowly made it to the car, fortunately it was parked few steps away. Gavin helped the RK900 into the passenger seat. He rubbed his now frozen hands, trying to bring back some warmth into them.

Driving home, Gavin realized what kind of situation he got himself into. "Okay I can’t take you to a Cyberlife repair shop, then I’m taking you to the police station, I don’t know if you’re functional enough to notice, but I’m a detective so you’re in good hands"

The android moved his head from left to right.

"No?"

The android blinked once again, agreeing to the ‘no’.

"Fuck" Gavin said softly, "Okay what do you want to do tincan? Let you stay at my place and have me fucking fix you?"

The android blinked once.

_Fuck._

Silence fell once again into the car, Gavin did not speak till he parked in front of his residential building.

Getting the android up to his apartment was not easy, the RK900 wasn’t necessarily heavy, but it was awkward to half assist, half carry the android up, and slowly lowered him onto the couch.

_Ohh what did you get yourself into, Reed._

He doesn’t know how the android expect him to mend him, he must be short circuiting.

"What am I suppose to do now? I’m not a technician, I’m a detective." Gavin groused, receiving no reaction other than a half focused stare.

Gavin did what he usually do when he didn’t know how to do something, he used google, looking up articles about how to fix a half frozen android, finding a few that seem helpful, like ones that suggest he make sure he has thirium bags available, others suggested looking at the main processors and components to locate the one that seem to be the problem.

It was 7am on a Saturday morning, squinting at his tablet screen, a notebook at hand, Gavin took some damn notes about fixing some damn android he found in the goddamn snow. He let out an exaggerated groan, rubbing his tired eyes before he look down at his list that took hours to write down. Okay so he has some basic ideas of what he should be doing.. -ish.

He made a few orders online, it included thirium bags, tools and some equipment the Internet said he might need.

The RK900 laid down on his bare kitchen table, he guided Gavin to where his chest cavity is, there was this sort of tension in the room that felt kind of odd.

The detective made a face, "You want me to stick my hands.. _in there_? I’m not gonna like get electrocuted or some shit?"

RK900 have somehow managed to collect enough energy to look unamused by all of this.

"Yeah yeah I know, stop it with your damn creepy stares" Gavin wore gloves cause it’s something he feels he should be doing, safety, and hygiene and all that.

He poked inside, and it seems that the android has a few components that aren’t functioning properly, and some that just needed a bit of tweaking, others needed to be exchanged. Except that’s gonna be way too difficult with this android being the latest, finding spare components isn’t gonna be easily, and it sure as hell isn’t gonna be cheap either.

Making a quick phone call confirmed his suspicion, some components weren’t available in the shops and others costed an arm and a leg. Gavin rubbed his face tiredly, he’s been working on the RK for over 6 hours, it was now around 11am, and he have barely gotten any shut eyes.

Gavin left his seat to fix himself a cup of coffee, fortunately he had today off so he doesn’t have to worry about leaving an android alone in his apartment with his cat- speaking of which, where is that little spoiled brat?

"Dipshit?”

The RK900 tiled his head ever so slightly, indicating his confusion.

"No not you, my cat-"

The little brat knew she would get some attention, so she graced them with her presence, meowing at her human for some food.

He lowered himself to pick her up and give her a few pets, she might be a brat but he loves her.

The confusion on the Android’s face melted into something else, but Gavin wasn’t paying attention at that moment.

As he was leaving the kitchen a knocking noise caught his attention, and he remembered that he left the android on the table without him being able to support himself just yet. He puts his cat down, "Uh shit, _right_."

Once the android was settled comfortably on the larger couch, Gavin took up the other one, tv playing in the background. He had his phone in his hands, fumbling with it, unsure if it would be a mistake to text his brother. He needs those bio-components or else everything he did for this android would be flashed down the metaphorical toilet. The reason is still unclear, unsure what lead him to bring him home, and to fix him, but it felt wrong to just let him shut down in the snow because Cyberlife didn’t want a lawsuit. _Pricks_.

**_Little Bro: 11:20am_ **  
_Hey u got bio components #356, #261, #790?_

**_Snobby prick: 11:23am_ **  
_Might. What do you need them for?_

**_Snobby prick: 11:23am_ **  
_Nice to hear from you lil bro_

**_Little bro: 11:24am_ **  
_Do u have them or not, asshole! 😤_

**_Snobby prick: 11:25am_ **  
_Yes. I can send them to you, but you’ll have to tell me what you need them for? These are all prototype components most of them are still undergoing test, so why would my dear brother who don’t know anything about androids need them, hm?_

**_Little bro: 11:27am_ **  
_Tell u later. Maybe._

Gavin didn’t receive any replies from his brother, but his message have been read. The orders should be arriving later today (including a small portable charging station), so at least he can work on those till his brother sends the bio components.

Some time later he opened his eyes, when did he even fall asleep?

With a foggy vision he looked to the left, where the android was still. Dipshit was rubbing herself all over the android, begging him for attention and pets, but it all seems to be lost on the android because he seems confused and lost on what he is suppose to do.

The RK900 looked toward Gavin who leaned over to pet Disphit, showing him what to do, and how to pet her and where to scratch her.

"She actually loves getting attention" Gavin leaned away but kept most of his attention on the android. "Anyway.. your new components and charging station should arrive later today"

Gavin huffed at the android weirdly cute way of showing confusion.

"I know people, don’t question me, you’re the one who trusted me with this whole thing, I had to pull a few strings cause apparently you’re a prototype and I can’t find parts compatible with your model number- I didn’t tell them your model number, calm down" he said when he saw the fear begin to creep up on the android, similarly to how he found him in the snow, and he didn’t like it.

The RK900 nodded, and then attempted to pet Gavin’s cat, similarly to the way he saw the human do it.

* * *

The rest of the day was pretty much, well normal. As normal as it can be when you have a hulk of metal that looks intimidating but seems as harmless as a two weeks old kitten.

Gavin spent most of the time studying the android, he have never seen one with white hair with matching clothes, kinda looks odd but also good on him?

There were parts of his face where some skin was missing, been through rough times, Gavin guessed. He realized he doesn’t know what happened to the android or how long the RK has been in the snow slowly freezing and shutting down.

It was late evening when everything he ordered have arrived, which means he’s gonna have another long ass night. The android sometimes would guide his hand, silently telling him what to do, and how to do it.

As he expected, working on the android took all night, the sun was up by the time he set down his tools, rubbing his exhausted eyes.

"There. All done, good as new and shit. It only took us, what, almost 6 hours?" Gavin groused, fatigue clear as a day in his voice, especially when he haven’t slept the night before either.

He gave the android one satisfied look, then disappeared into his bedroom for the ‘night’. He doesn’t think he can last one more minute awake, he is beyond tired, and that usually mean he’s grumpier than average.

Another problem presented itself after Gavin had his food early into the afternoon, he got an email reminding him of his late shift later this evening, which means he will have to leave the android alone at home with the cat.

He puts his dirty dishes aside, and before he got ready for work, he stood in front of the android that was still charging since he went to sleep hours ago.

"Okay robo giant, I’m heading to work so you better behave and not touch anything while I’m gone. Just, stay where you are, and don’t destroy my apartment, you hear me?" Gavin instructed, not sure if the RK understood what he is saying.

RK900 nodded, his vocal box is fixing itself while he charges, and should be fully charged and functional in exactly 3 hours and 10 minutes.

"Alright, so your blue blood or whatever is in the fridge, but you got one right here too, so, Uh, yeah" With that the detective headed to the precinct where he worked till 11pm.

Gavin wasn’t sure what he expected but if he was honest, the android barely moved an inch when he was finally back close to midnight. He was tired so he only sent a nod in 900’s direction as he made his way to his room.

* * *

RK900 blinked, the detective was back when he said he would, he acknowledged him with a nod before vanishing into what RK assumed is the detective’s bedroom. He was fully charged for the first time in weeks, and it feels absolutely wonderful not to be fearful for every percent he lost, dreading when his battery will die, and his body with it.

He have never met a human that was so brash, yet so kind, it’s quite endearing. He walked around the apartment today, scanning everything he can, his system finally working properly. Sure he knows that the Detective Reed- his facial recognition informed him- isn’t a mechanic, and doesn’t have any background of fixing androids but he did surprisingly a good job, and somehow got his hands on all the components that were supposedly hard to find.

The cat have kept him company most the time the human was out, he did not have the time to do something to show his gratitude toward the human. So naturally thought of cleaning the place would suffice, but he wasn’t programmed to, however he’s programmed to learn, so finding instructions weren’t hard. He faced some difficulties at first, but he got the hang of it very quickly, and by the time he was done, the place was spotless. Mission successful, so he returned to his place, back on the couch. The cat sadly followed her human into the bedroom which means the android will spend the night alone, so he decided to go into stasis feeling safe.

His system roused him at 6am sharp, he looked around and realized that Detective Reed was still asleep, so he waited for the human to come to.

* * *

  
Gavin woke up at 7am, he doesn’t have to rush this morning, as his shift starts at 2pm today, he completed his morning routine before heading to the kitchen with the desire to make himself a big cup of coffee to help him stay awake during the day- and cause he likes how it tastes.

While his coffee machine was doing it’s magic, a shadow emerged from behind him,

"Good morning Detective Reed" A stoic, almost robotic voiced said.

Gavin yelped in surprised, inhaled sharply as he whipped around, hand moving to his holster, only to remember that he was was home, and not wearing his holster.

"Jesus!! Fuck, didn’t think you even had the ability to fucking talk!"

He took a deep breaths, willing his frantic heart to calm down. He looked up at the stoic android. There was color slowly seeping back into the android’ jacket and hair, it was still white, just not as plainly as they were two days ago.

"I apologize, I did not mean to frighten you."

"Whatever" Gavin took angry gulps of his coffee, ignoring the fact that the android was still standing behind him, probably staring at him with his burning gaze.

They fell into an awkward silence, now that the android is able to speak, maybe he can find out more about what happened to him.

He leaned against his counter, pondering on what exactly does he want to ask the android as he was finish his breakfast.

"Uh, you’re not gonna try to explain to me why the fuck an advanced prototype android was tossed in the snow like some old broken house microwave?"

The little light by the RK900’e temple was blinking yellow, to red then back to yellow. He haven’t noticed that it even changed from the palpated red that it seems to be stuck on since he brought him in. Now that the android was fixed it probably will leave, right? But.. where the fuck will he go?

No word left RK’s mouth, he simply stared at the detective, gaze going out of focus for a split second.

"Alright. Not gonna explain anything then? This is not an interrogation." Gavin tried again, he’s quite intrigued by the whole thing, especially when it took him hours to fix whatever the fuck Cyberlife did to this android. Is he even deviant?

"Are you a deviant?"

More silence.

Gavin huffed impatiently, "Great, he’s broken again. I’m not fixing shit. Detective not mechanic, remember that, tincan" And made his way almost successfully to the couch before Dipshit almost tripped him over by rubbings against his leg and walking in his path.

He plummeted onto the couch, Dipshit taking the opportunity to sit on his lap and purr contently.

The android followed and sat on the other side of the couch, stiff and upright, it seems deviancy didn’t help that one with the stick stuck up his ass.

"Uh, you got a place to stay at?"

RK900 tilted his head, a neat curl fell into his eyes, as he blink in clear confusion then shook his head.

"Right." Gavin rubbed his face with his free hand. God that means the android will have to stay here till he finds a place he can move to.

"Have you tried to contact Jericho then?"

The light by the Android’s temple turned bright red. "I won’t be accepted there. I was built as a military android, but hunting deviants was also part of my programming, I wouldn’t be welcomed, Detective."

Well guess he knows what the RK900’s purpose was.

"I am the only android of my model, I was still undergoing tests, I wasn’t completely shut down when I was tossed away like an old broken microwave, as you eloquently put it, detective" Although his face displayed no emotions, there were clearly some in the air, Gavin can easily sense them.

"Did they throw you away because of the revolution?"

"Yes, they didn’t want to be caught red handed with an android like me, so the best option they could come up with was to toss me in the snow hoping that I’d never be found"

Gavin snorted, "Well they sure were wrong about that. So you’re like an upgraded android, you sure as hell look different"

Head tilted, "You must be referring to appearance, to preserve energy I am able to turn off a few things, and having white hair and clothes need less energy."

"What’s your original design, then?" Gavin inquired, curiosity yet again picking at him.

It wasn’t possible for an android to sound so smug, "You’ll have to find out"

But fuck if that wasn’t attractive.

"Alright you ungrateful piece of shit, there isn’t a need to be so goddamn sassy, you prick." Gavin groused, returning his attention back to the screen with some difficulty.

The day went on with the RK being mostly quiet, but it did ask Gavin a few questions, they weren’t too personal so Gavin had no problem answering them, till he asked if could accompany the detective to the DPD, he said he might try finding himself a job and the DPD seems like a good start.

"Alright Nines, guess you can talk to Fowler and if you like the work there then you can get recruited or whatever."

"Nines? Is that what you would like to call me?"

Gavin cursed, RK900 was we obviously too mouthful so he went for a nickname, he didn’t expect RK- Uh, Nines to pick it up so quickly.

"It sure as hell better than calling you RK900 all the damn time" Gavin said nonchalantly, waving his hand to emphasize.

Nines have only been with the detective two days and he can already tell that this whole macho act is nothing but a shell, and he is intrigued to find out more about this human.

* * *

The precinct was busy as ever, walking in, he asked Nines to stay close, he isn’t going to look for him got lost somewhere, not that the station is large enough for an android to get lost in.

Gavin can feel every eyeball on him as he cross the bullpen to Fowler’s glass office, the android proficiently behind him. He can almost hear their thoughts, wondering why is he being followed by an android, one they have never seen before, especially with all the whiteness that was almost blinding.

With a single knock, he pushed the glass door open and stopped into the office.

"At least you knocked this time" Fowler said with thinning patience.

"Captain, I’m just gonna spit it out-"

"That wouldn’t be sanitary" Nines said flatly.

"Shut the fuck up, Nines." Gavin growled, then continued as if he wasn’t interrupted by an android that seems to take things quite literally. "Found this scrape metal and he wants a tour around the precinct, if he likes it here, he’ll stay."

Fowler looked Nines up and down, trying to learn whatever he can from how the android looks. "What are your functions?"

Nines turned to Gavin, asking for permission, and Gavin just shrugged then nodded. "I’m not your owner, do whatever the fuck you want. You two ladies chat and I’m gonna go get some work done" with that the detective left the room, before the captain could ask him go baby sit the newbie.

He made it to his desk without any distractions, he got to work immediately, checking his emails, then the case files that were assigned to him.

"I am a military android, sir. I was also programmed with the ability to do most of police work, I reassure you I’d be capable to work here" Nines sounded almost robotic, but he never had any social practice, other than with Detective Reed. Surprisingly he wasn’t hard to communicate with.

Fowler considered this proposition for a moment. "Very well, I can give you a week trial, if you are as good as you say you are, then there will be no problem with hiring you"

For a moment a look crossed Nines’ face, then it disappeared. "Thank you for the opportunity, Captain" with a nod, he left the office, and made his way calmly to the detective who had his legs rudely propped on his desk.

Gavin had his tablet in hand, swiping through the file cases he had. He looked up when he heard perfect tip tap of oxford shoes hitting the floor. "How’d it go?"

"I got a trial week, if I did well, which I have no doubt I will, I could join the DPD."

"Yeah might want to lower the confidence there, rookie. You haven’t even started yet" He wonder which poor soul will be partnered with this idiot. Every new cop need a partner for a while, then they can decided whether they wanted to stay partners or not.

"Well would you teach me how to be a mediocre detective?" It seems this prick keeps getting sassier and sassier by the minute.

"Keep this up and I’m gonna make sure you stay buried in the goddamn snow next time" Gavin scowled, setting the tablet on the desk.

Nines’ face remained stoic, but his little light was glowing between blue and yellow.

"Would you give me a tour detective?" He didn’t need it, the android have already downloaded the whole place’s blue prints and knows where everything is.

"Well since you asked nicely" Gavin got to his feed, and moved to the break room with the frosty android behind him. "This is where you will be making me coffee everyday if you decided to work here"

The android ignored the little jab, and scan the room instead, while the detective seems to demonstrate how to make coffee, either that or he was simply making himself a cup.

"But you seem capable of making a cup yourself, you’re a big boy"

Gavin was mocking what the android said softly under his breath, not caring if the bastard can hear him. "I’m beginning to think if I really should be blaming Cyberlife for throwing you out"

The android only hummed, he knows, from his scans, that the detective was not being honest, which could only mean this is suppose to be a joke, so he will take it for what it is. "Your jokes are not funny, detective. I can recommend a few joke books for you to read"

Gavin snored, "You know, looks like you can break my record easily with how many partners requesting a new partner. Don’t think anyone that works here can handle all of that" he gestured vaguely at the android as a whole.

That have got the android thinking however, he isn’t sure he wants any partners, but a quick peek at the laws and regulations of this department have stated clearly that he needs a partner for at least three months before he can start working on his own, if he didn’t want to have a partner, that is.

Another one search have confirmed that the detective is indeed partnerless, which means he can fill in that slot. He felt a weird tug at the corner of lips, he wasn’t sure what that was exactly.

"Stop looking so smug, tincan." Gavin’s phone beeped in his pocket, indicating a new message arriving. He checked it quickly, "You enjoy your time here, newbie" it was another crime scene that he needed to investigate.

With that he left the break room with his freshly made cup of coffee. The android remained behind, he already know where the detective lives he can meet him there once he finish taking a look around the place.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoy this AU!!
> 
> Let me know if you’d like to see more of this, and I might turn this into a multichapter fic 👀💞


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arriving at the precinct together resulted in a few curious stares their way, Gavin made an effort to ignore them, snarling under his breath as he moved toward his desk, Nines a step behind him. He noticed whenever they are together in public the android would go the extra mile to remain by his side at all times, he didn’t comment about it though.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So since you all loved this AU I’m turning it into a multichapter! 🥺💞

After a long day of work, and writing reports, he finally was back at his apartment. Gavin treaded into the kitchen to open a can of cat food, but to his surprise the food bowl was filled. That’s weird, he was certain that Dipshit was stuffing her face when he left this morning.

He shrugged it off, he was too tired to mull this over right now. It was half past ten at night, still somewhat early, but he’ll crash in. He allowed his sleep induced brain to go on autopilot and guide him to bed.

Of course the peace and quiet lasted only so long.

The front door opened and closed, indicating someone walking in, but only he has the keys to his apartment. Alarms went off in his brain, wracking it for an explanation.

He left bed with a groan and made his way cautiously toward the front door, and honestly why is he even surprised.

"Nines?" _Un-fucking-believable_. Then again the android had no where to go, so is it really a shock that he’d come back here? Gavin can’t remember if he have told the android he can stay or not, but judging by the RK that was standing in the middle of his living room he might have done.

"Hello Detective, I didn’t mean to wake you up, assuming you were about to head to bed" and just how did he even know that?

"How did you- whatever, just fucking text me next time or say something." Gavin rubbed his face, exhaustion claiming his body again, as he slowly turn around and headed back to his soft warm bed, leaving the RK900 by himself.

The next morning he was not startled by Nines’ present, who was occupying the couch, spoiling his cat with pets and attention.

"She’s gonna get used to it and I can’t give her twice the attention." Gavin half complained from the kitchen as he fixed himself a cup of coffee and a quick and simple breakfast. His shift starts closer to noon so he has some time to kill before he heads out, and it seems Nines does too if he is still there at 7:20am. Nines has a week trail before he is officially joins the DPD, but with his skills, Gavin has no doubt that he will be accepted immediately no questions asked.

* * *

Arriving at the precinct together resulted in a few curious stares their way, Gavin made an effort to ignore them, snarling under his breath as he moved toward his desk, Nines a step behind him. He noticed whenever they are together in public the android would go the extra mile to remain by his side at all times, he didn’t comment about it though.

_Of course_ Fowler will give Nines the desk right in front of his own. _Fucking asshole_.

Wordlessly Gavin sat at his desk and went about with all the shitload of work he had to do that day.

Nines did the same, simply took a seat ever so politely, and started working occasionally asking him questions about one thing or another, but mostly stayed to himself.

The day was actually not all that bad, he mostly worked on his terminal, he haven’t been called in, so he remained on his desk for most of it. Once his shift ended he got to his feet, but so did RK.

Shit! He keeps forgetting that the RK lives with him now. Which means they come in and leave together unless the android learned how to use the auto-taxis- but he still would need money since Cyberlife is no longer funding any android.

Nines stood with his arms behind his back, all proper and formal. "Shall we go, Detective?"

With a grunt, he did, striding toward the exit, with this android that is still learning about the world. Gavin saw how he looked at anything that he hasn’t seen before with such wonder. It’s.. endearing.

The ride home was similar to the one to work, mostly quiet. Gavin filled the silent with music, ignoring the weird expressions Nines gave him along the way. Humming along to the 2010s songs that dominated the radio station he picked, tapping the steering wheel whenever they stopped at a red light.

He half expected the android to comment about his driving, but no comment came. Huh. Instead Nines was peering outside the window, taking in their surrounding till they finally pulled over in front of Gavin’s resident building.

Normally his cat would run to greet him whenever he came home, which she did, except, she greeted the android too, rubbing against him, wanting his attention too. Dipshit isn’t a social cat, she is very picky with who she likes to approach and who doesn’t deserve her attention. It seems like she decided that Nines very much deserves her attention. In return Nines picked her up and wasted no time showering her with attention and affection, a soft expression replaced the usual stoic face the android had on display. _Again endearing_. He just had to say something, he wasn’t sure why, but it felt like he should.

"Don’t let her trick you, she is an asshole through and through, but she has her moments" He petted her, and she had to prove him wrong by meowing and purring at his touch. In moments like those, Gavin knew he picked the perfect name for her. Dipshit.

"She may seem like it to you, but she is very sweet. She keeps me company when you sleep and on the days I remained in your home" Nines stroke the soft fur of the cat, she was very soft and her purrs were very loud. "How long have you had her for, Detective?"

"About four years I think." Gavin spoke softly, then fell into silence, something about his face changed. "I adopted her from a shelter"

Nines remained silent, he has the full adoption paper right before him, actually. He knows that Dipshit was adopted from the shelter ten miles away from here. Dipshit was only three months old when she was adopted by the detective, it seems that she was very difficult to adopt due to her attitude, but that didn’t matter to Gavin, from what Nines can see.

Gavin quickly learned that Nines’ facial expressions are pretty limited, so what usually helped him with understanding his moods were the light ring and sometimes the way Nines with stare at him, there was something fascinating and intriguing about how light his eyes are. Most days his LED would be yellow, when they are in public, he clearly still felt somewhat wry about humans- He never seen him interact with any other android, usually trying to avoid them too. He’ve seen him ignore Connor, and refusing to outright talk to him unless it was case related.

However the next day he couldn’t avoid Connor it appears, got him cornered in the break room.

"RK900!" Connor called vigorously, as he encroached into the suddenly small room. This time he seems determined to get some sort of conversation with Nines, and wouldn’t back down till he does. The detective was not here at the moment, although Nines made it clear that he isn’t making the detective coffee, he does it as a gesture of appreciation, for all the detective did for him, and keeps doing for him. LED circled red, panicked.

Nines didn’t say anything, so the other android took it as a permission to keep talking. "You need not to worry, I only want to talk to you"

When he received no reaction from the advanced android, he continued, "I didn’t know they were building a new prototype" He started, "Were you the only one?"

Not a single breath.

Connor’s own LED blinked yellow, his scans informing him of Nines’ increasing stress levels. "RK900-"

"Nines!" The detective’s voice boomed from the bullpen. Nines took his leave, without saying a word, using the excuse of him being called.

"You called detective?" Within a blink of an eye he stood right in front of Gavin who was collecting his belongings from on top of the desk.

"We got called in for a crime scene."

"We, detective?" Nines tilted his head in confusion, to his knowledge he was suppose to work alone, though working with the detective doesn’t sound bad, actually.

"Yeah don’t look at me, Fowler wants me to drag you along, you know show you the ropes and all that crap, so get a move on" Gavin strode toward the exit and into the parking lot. He got into his car in one smooth practiced motion, tapping the location into his car, while he waited for his temporary partner to show his flawless face.

It’s none of his business, but he saw how Nines’ LED was yellow before he approached him, then it turned blue as if it has been all along. What could have stressed the android that much? So much so that he immediately showed up after Gavin called him one time.

Before he realized it, they were pulling up at the given location.

Should have brought a thicker jacket, was his first thought after exiting the car. The snow is thicker than it has been, he rubbed his arms for some warmth as he advanced toward the river bank. There were a few officers already present at the scene, police tape flashing as he approached. "What do we have here?"

One of the officers looked up at him, "Two androids dumped into the river while being tied to each other. No finger prints or any DNA samples were found, so we suspect an android involvement"

That is possible, then again why would an android destroy their own people?

"Is it with you?" The officer’s question brought him back from his musing.

"What?" Gavin looked at the direction the officer was looking at.

"Yeah, he’s with me"

Nines was looming around the two bodies, no doubt scanning them. He seems to forget that he needed to introduce himself before he start waltzing into a crime scene, they probably let him in when he saw him arrive with Gavin.

"You can’t just examine the body without introducing yourself"

Nines didn’t as much as glance in Gavin’s direction. "You didn’t introduce yourself, detective"

"Yeah well I’ve been working at this damn job for over a decade and half, most of the officers in the department know me"

"I’d be surprise if they didn’t with a personality like yours, detective." Nines said smugly, hands clasped behind his back, looking all too rigid and formal.

"Whatever, terminator, just do your scan thingy"

The _terminator_ did his _scan thingy_ as eloquently put by the detective.

"Well, got anything useful?" It’s not that Gavin is impatient, but it’s too goddamn freezing out and of course he didn’t come prepared for such weather so he’s freezing his ass off, shifting his weight while rocking on his heels.

"Patience, detective." Gavin huffed but allowed his partner to take his damn time while scanning the bodies.

"No major components are missing, however they are all waterlogged and damaged. It seems they have been submerged in water for longer than their bodies could handle, being mere storekeeper android."

What RK found odd is the fact that these two androids have been shutdown before being plopped into the chilly water. That within itself is very eccentric, the only androids- _that’s assuming the culprit is an android_ \- have that ability in their program are ones that are suppose to be deviant hunters, aka RK800 and RK900. He knows it wasn’t him, and he doubt it was his predecessor.

There haven’t been many laws imposed regarding androids after the revolution, however Cyberlife is mostly run by androids now, but some engineers continued to work for them. Now that’s not to say that Cyberlife has anything to do with this... at least not till he can find solid evidence.

"Right, so you think that water is what shut them down?"

"A possibility. Or they were shut down then tossed into the water." Nines found out that he doesn’t like it when he doesn’t have all the answers.

"Which is the most likely story here? You said they have been in water for long so that could be the reason they were shutdown, right? What makes you think that their software shutdown first?" Gavin inquired with some humor in his voice.

Nines kneeled by the two bodies, pointing at different parts of the android bodies. "There is a clear lack of resistants or fight, which indicates that they weren’t alive when they were tossed into the water." He stood again, turning to face Gavin. "Of course those are all theories till we have more evidence on the case"

Gavin stepped closer to the bodies, staring at them, using his experience to look for more evidence. "Hey, do all androids have a huge ass hole in their sternum?"

Nines was by him in an instant, staring unblinkingly at where the thirium pump should be. "That’s where the thiruim pump should be" how have he overlooked something as crucial as that?

"Yeah yeah I know, but why is it missing? I thought you said nothing major was missing and I’m pretty sure that thirium pumps are fucking major" Gavin rebuked, he called one of the officers asking them if they found any thirium pumps.

"We found two thirium pumps at the bridge up there" The Officer pointed to where they were found.

"And why the fuck am I hearing about that now? Do I have to tell all you fuckers how to do your damn job?" He snapped as he stamped his way back to the car. Well at least they know that the victims were murdered- _it still sounds weird to refer to android being shutdown as murdered_ \- before they were tossed away.

He got to his car, but he didn’t climb in, instead he lit a cigarette and took a long drag before exhaling. He heard footsteps a moment later, but no comment. He looked up and saw Nines’ eyes staring intensely at him, and for some reason that alone sent a shiver down his spin, and it has nothing to do with the cold or the snow that started falling soon after.

Nines looked up at the snow, palms open catching piles of snowflakes as they descend.

Gavin haven’t realized he’s been staring till he almost choked when he forgot to exhale the smoke that was trapped in his mouth. Flicking the butt away once he was done, he climbed into the car with a huff, that seemed to do the trick, Nines turned to look at him, realizing that they are leaving then instantly got into the car as well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoy this chapter!💞


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He felt serenity wash down his body, as he inhaled and exhaled the smoke till nothing remained but the butt of the cigarette that he flicked off. Just as he was about to push himself off the cold wall, and seek warmth of the bar, a gunshot echoed from somewhere close by. He cursed, fumbling to get his phone out and shoot Tina a quick message.. 
> 
> Nines too.

It’s Thursday, and fortunately for Gavin it was also his day off, but it seems he is not allowed to enjoy his mornings in as his damn phone was ringing loudly on his bedside table. He tried to ignore it, but whoever was calling was very keen on talking to him at that fucking moment.

"Hello?!" He all but yelled into the phone, he is in no mood to be social today.

"You sound as grumpy as ever, Gav" Gavin was definitely not in the mood for socializing today, least of all with his brother.

"Yeah, who wouldn’t be when you call at this ungodly hour on my day off?"

He could hear him laugh from the other side of line. "Gavin. Baby brother. It’s 10am"

"On my day off!" Gavin dropped his head onto his soft pillow, which muffled his words. "What the fuck do you want anyway?"

"I’m still waiting for you to tell me why you needed those bio components?"

Gavin mumbled into his pillow, his voice came out indistinct again.

There was a moment of silence from the other side, Gavin can imagine his brother, clearly rolling his eyes at that before speaking again. "You know I can’t hear you"

"Fuck off, I just needed them." He removed his face from the pillow, allowing his voice to be heard clearly.

"You wouldn’t just need bio components that are highly advanced and still relatively new and were still being tested right before the revolution, Gav" Elijah sounded a bit defeated at the end, but he waited.

Gavin groaned and lifted his head from his pillow. He was debating whether he should trust his brother with this or not, then again the whole precinct knows of the existence of the RK900 now anyway.

"I needed it to help an android I found while I was patrolling, alright? He was gonna shut down if I didn’t do anything so that’s, that’s the story, now can you stop bugging me about this whole ordeal?"

Gavin can hear tapping of keyboard for at least three minutes before his brother spoke again. "Is it an advance android that Cyberlife was developing before it was shut down after the revolution?"

"How the fuck-"

"I was able to get some information from the Cyberlife old database, which I created myself"

"Never miss an opportunity to boast about your work, huh? What else do you have on that database?"

Gavin heard another sigh, "The rest of the data was deleted, but that’s all I could collect, new android that was undergoing tests before the project was eliminated."

"Yeah I now that, he hold me"

"What else did he tell you, Gav?" Elijah’s voice is much more solemn now. Gavin doesn’t under why are they having this conversation, like Cyberlife can do jack shit now.

"Nothing much, why are you suddenly interested? And don’t give me that engineer enthusiastic shit"

"I’ve been digging into the database, I wanted to know what they were up to, if they were hiding a prototype then it must mean they weren’t up for anything good."

Gavin consisted this, but Cyberlife is gone, at least the old one so they shouldn’t really care about that right now. "Okay good luck with your spying bullshit, he’s doing great and I’m pretty sure he’d rather not hear a word about those bastards so, good talk. Bye" he hanged up and tossed his phone away on the bed before his brother had chance to speak another word.

**_KNOCK KNOCK_ **

"Did you teach the damn cat how to knock?"

"No Detective, it’s me, Nines." The voice from behind the door said rather politely.

Gavin snorted, is this android ever going to understand what sarcasm is? "I know asshole. Uh, just come in" He left the bed, making it halfway to the door before it swings open.

The android looked startled to see Gavin so close to the door. "I wanted to inform you that you are out of milk, eggs, flour, fruits, cereal and anything edible really"

"Why didn’t you made yourself useful and ran to the store?" He gave Gavin that looks again that made Gavin grunt. "Whatever, I’ll get them" he looked down at his sweatpants and sleeveless hoodie, well guess that will do, he simply puts on his leather jacket then kicked on his shoes before leaving the apartment and closing the door behind him. A little smile involuntarily appeared on his face when he heard the door open and close. He swallowed his smartass remark and made it to the elevator.

The ride to the store was as quiet as he expected it to be. The walk around the store wasn’t as much. Nines kept rattling on about products they come across.

"Yeah the nutrition info is also printed on the back of all the packages, if I wanted to know I’d look, okay?" Gavin hissed, but just words carried no bite, he was mildly annoyed though.

Gavin was a bit intrigued by the amount of android friendly and thirium based food they had, in such a short time since the revolution. Nines noticed them too, he kept staring at them as they passed by, so he just picked a random one that Nines was looking at and dropped it into the cart, as he continued his quest for milk and eggs, and the other stuff Nines was kind enough to put in a list and send to his damn work email.

"Detective-"

"It’s Gavin or Reed when we’re not at work, tincan." Gavin said flatly as he empties the cart onto the cash register belt. He was checking out as they chatted. Nines also insisted they get Disphit something so they did. He wouldn’t be surprised if he was the fluffball’s number two at this point.

Just as he was making his way back to the car, his phone pinged with a message from Tina, asking if he would like to hang out later tonight with Chris and her wife, Valerie. He shot a quick reply before climbing into his car.

Nines’ LED turned yellow then blue. _Strange_.

Gavin was growing custom to the silent rides, sometimes they turn the radio on for some background music, other time they simply enjoy the comfortable silence. It’s weird how most of the time he found the silence suffocating, whereas he finds this one... comforting, for lack of a better word.

Gavin carried most of the groceries, but of course the android had to carry some of his own, the need to be useful was probably strong.

He didn’t bother with putting everyone away he simply left the bags on the kitchen counter and plummeted on the couch after draping his jacket on the back of it.

A minute later he can hear the telltale of bags being moved, but today he couldn’t give a fuck what Nines was doing in the damn kitchen. With the tv on, and Disphit on his lap, he opted to stay on the couch till much later.

"It’s really hard to make you food when you barely have any ingredients, but keep buying snacks like they are considered a balanced meal. They are not." Nines mused as he sets a plate of two sandwiches and a glass of what appears to be juice.

"Yeah that’s the point. You don’t have to keep making me food, tincan. I’m not asking for payment of any kind for letting you stay. I mean as long as you feed the cat when I’m not here, we’re good." Gavin pulled the plate closer anyway.

He ate in silent, busying himself with the tv. He can see the tincan moving in his peripheral, but didn’t dare to turn his head.

Dipshit moved from his lap and into Nines’, settling there. A " _fucking cat_ " can be heard but Nines only acknowledged it with a small smirk.

Before either of them knew it, it was 6pm, which means Gavin has prepare for his night with Tina and her wife since Chris excused himself saying he can’t make it tonight, he got a late shift. He left his seat, and disappeared into his room, emerging a few minutes later dressed in a black jeans, a long sleeved white shirt and a black leather jacket.

Nines got to his feet, seemingly ready to follow the human out of the door, but stopped by a hand on his chest. "You’re not coming, big guy. This is a grown up gathering"

"But I’m a-" the detective interrupted,

"I don’t care, you can’t come, okay?"

The RK’s LED blinked red for a moment, Gavin almost missed it. "Understood, Gavin. Have a nice evening" shoulders hunched, he made his way back to the couch. Gavin almost felt bad for him. He shook his head and left the apartment.

Guilt accompanied him to the bar he was meeting his best friend and her wife at. He immediately spotted Tina, it’s hard to miss her, with the way she was literally waving frantically at him.

He stifled a smile as he approached the counter at which they were seated at, waiting for his arrival.

"Glad you can make it" Tina said, then her gaze shifted to something behind Gavin, then back. She frowned, "You haven’t brought your partner with you?" If he told anyone about how he found the RK, it was Tina, one lunch break he was propped against the table, explaining to how he found Nines in the snow with more exaggeration than necessary, at least that’s what Tina said, she enjoyed the story nonetheless.

"No? Was I suppose to?" The guilt resurfaced again, _fucking great_.

"I don’t know, I thought he’d tag along" She sure sounded a bit disappointed. _Me too_ , he thought.

"Yeah well he didn’t." That was a lie, of course, he stopped the android from tagging along, and he knows he can’t exactly call him and ask him to show his robo ass, so, he suffered with the guilt that was starting to consume him, but he made an effort to ignore it. He peered down on the menu before him, he was in no mood to drink, not that he usual drink anyway, so instead he picked a soft drink.

"Oh come on Gav, loosen up a little"

"I’d rather not embarrass myself today, thanks T." Gavin scoffed, leaning heavily on the wooden counter.

"Let him be, dear" Valerie said with a soft smile, placing an arm around her wife, she will make sure Tina doesn’t get too drunk.

"Yeah, T, let me be" Gavin said with a hint of humor in his voice. Taking a big gulp of his cold coke when it arrived, ignoring the nagging topic at the back of his head. The evening was great, he missed hanging out with his best friend, gossiping, chatting and just, catching up.

"So are you and Nines partners?"

Gavin let out a choked sound, "What? No- he’s on a week trail then he’ll be able to work for the DPD if he passes."

Of course Nines will be mentioned.

"Ah, so he lives with you now?"

Trust Tina to start interrogating him, Jesus. "Till he gets a place of his own." He said flatly, hoping Tina would get the hint.

She didn’t.

"Are you-" "Can you fucking stop with these questions? You’re giving me a damn headache!" Gavin snapped, massaging his temple, feeling a headache coming. It seems that she finally got the message, cause Tina changed the topic to something about this drink she had the other days.

With one smooth movement, he hopped off the stool, half a step away he heard his best friend ask him where he’s heading.

"I need a smoke" Tina visibly relaxed, thinking that she may have upset him with her prying questions.

The snow didn’t cease it’s falling, if anything, it was snowing heavily, when Gavin leaned against the brick wall of the bar’s alleyway. It was freezing, _should have worn a better jacket_. Smoke emitting out of his mouth, traveling upward as it slowly ebbed.

He felt serenity wash down his body, as he inhaled and exhaled the smoke till nothing remained but the butt of the cigarette that he flicked off. Just as he was about to push himself off the cold wall, and seek warmth of the bar, a gunshot echoed from somewhere close by. He cursed, fumbling to get his phone out and shoot Tina a quick message..

Nines too.

**_~~Detective~~ Gavin: 7:21pm_ **  
_I heard a gunshot, gonna check it out. Call backup jic._

Then hurried to forage for the source of the gunshot.

* * *

Nines reaches the location that was sent to him by the detective in a record time. He haven’t received anything else since first receiving the initial message. He walked into the bar, he met officer Chen and her wife inside. "Where is the detective?"

"I’m not sure, I went outside but I couldn’t find him, so we came back in, it’s too cold and the weather is only getting worst."

Nines nodded in apprehension, then left through the back door, according to officer Chen that’s the direction Gavin has taken. It took him no time to detect his footprints and followed them.

The footprints first were very close to each other, which indicates that the detective was walking, then it halted by a neighboring alleyway, he stood frozen as his eyes took in the body he found. He approached it cautiously, kneeling down to examine it. It was of an old man, in his late 50s. That is odd. He scanned the area and took a note of the second footprints of another man. The footprints were wider as they exit the alleyway to the opposite direction he came from. The wideness of them points to a chase that broke out. He followed it, as hastily as he could to come to a sharp halt in a deserted parking lot. The streetlights were not working, it was mostly dim out, it did not help that it was snowing profoundly.

"Detective?"

No response from the body that was laying down in the middle of the snow, coating in a white layer of a cold blanket. Surely the human would feel cold, he wasn’t dress appropriately. What eased his stress a tad bit was the fact that the detective was alive, but... hurt.

"Gavin?"

There was blood soaked the snow underneath the human.

With trembling legs, he approached, his movement laggy, then kneeled.

Gavin was staring at the sky, breathing heavily through the gun wound in his chest.

Shaky hands reached him, pulling him closer, but with care.

**_Calling 911.._ **  
**_Requiring an ambulance to the currently address.._ **

He applied pressure to the wound, leaning close, the detective’s vital was flashing in his HUD.

**_45% critical injury_ **  
**_90% survival rate_ **

Although that is somewhat reassuring, there was this heavy feeling within him. _Concerned_.

He saw it before he felt it. Thirium dipping on Gavin’s face, streaming from Nines’ eyes down his cheek. He was crying. He wasn’t aware that he had that capability, and it might be that he wasn’t suppose to, which explain how he was crying a diluted version of thirium instead of artificial tears similarly to the rest of androids.

Red light was reflecting from his temple, bouncing on the detective’s face. He moved that one stubborn strand of hair out of the shorter man’s face.

Despite the detective’s eyes being open, they seem unfocused. He lost a lot of blood, it explain it, but it does nothing to ease the worry the RK is carrying.

The ambulance siren can be heard in the distance.

Nines watches as the paramedics work on Gavin, and then put him on a stretcher, taking him away to the hospital. Nines remained behind for a moment, then quickly found Reed’s car and drove it to the hospital.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoy this chapter! 👀💞


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A big smile plastered on Gavin’s face when Nines walks in with a takeaway cup from the coffee shop that he sometimes gets his morning coffee from. He made a grabby hands at the coffee till Nines passed the cup to him. The android seemed amused, with a subtle smile. 
> 
> "That is the exact reaction my system have preconstructed. Maybe even better."

The room slowly came into focus, it was bright and fuzzy- but he knew that daylight wasn’t the source of light in the room. Gavin felt a weight on his chest, it took him too long to realize it was his cat purring contently as she laid on his collar bone. With some difficulty he lifted his arms to run his hand through her fur.

It took him even longer to notice the figure sitting by his right side, right in front of the window. He almost blended with the white walls of what he assume is a hospital room.

What once he considered cold eyes were watching him unblinkingly.

"Gavin.."

His ears could be playing tricks on him, Nines’ voice sounded so.. static-y. He vaguely remembers what happened a few hours ago?

After sending the text to Tina and Nines he chased after the source of the gunshot, he found a body as he was about to examine it, he saw a figure dashing in his peripheral. He did what he had to do, pursue the culprit, but he seem to forget a critical fact.. he was unarmed, and he only came to that realization when he caught up to the guy. Reaching to his missing holster, looking up with wide eyes, the man before him seemed frightened, and people did dumb things when they were afraid.

Next thing he knew he had a bullet in his chest.

He also remember a vague voice calling to him, then he was here.

"How’d you got the cat in here?" The detective said slowly, his throat hurting from the lack of use for however long he was out. He made a note to ask how long has it been later.

The android before him looked indifferent, but the LED ratted him out, with its scarlet glow.

"I merely carried her carrier here. One of the nurses tried to stop me but she was very understanding when I explain how pivotal the cat is to you and how she’ll help with your recovery." The frosty android explains, not moving from where he was sitting, but scanned the human to study his vital signs and whether the Detective was getting better.

Gavin thinks that the nurse just found his partner to be intimidating and didn’t want to mess with him so she backed off, cause there is no way cats or any pets for that matter are allowed in the hospital.

"Right." Gavin says as he tries to pull himself into a sitting position, but it only sent waves of pain through his chest making him wince a little. That alarmed the RK.

"I would advise you against trying to move, you are still healing" Gavin tried to convince himself that he only imagined the worry that laced the Android’s voice. 

Nines picked up the cat, keeping her tucked under one arm while he gently push the detective back into laying down. 

"You’ve only been here for a day, you should refrain from moving needlessly. The doctor have specifically asked for you to remain in bed for the minimum of a week to two weeks. I have already updated Captain Fowler about this, he too thinks you should be resting." Nines elucidates, before he bends down and gently sets Dipshit onto the floor. "I however will be here as long as I can, in exception of work hours as I only have a couple of days left in my trial."

Gavin acknowledges that with a nod, still a bit groggily, the meds’ doing no doubt.

Nines took a seat on the closest chair, "It’s currently 10:49pm" it’s as if he can read Gavin’ thoughts. "I will remain till 7am, then I will be back at around 2pm when my shift ends."

Another nod, Gavin is trying to slowly process all that. He noticed a fading blue stain on Nines’ jacket, he wanted to inquire about it, but he feels so tired and a bit sleepy to do anything really. 

When he came to again it was day outside. The sun’s rays bathed the whole room with a warm yellow glow. He moved his fingers to notice that Dipshit was sleep on his left, curled up to his side. His throat felt dry, and he can see a glass of water that was placed conveniently on the table by his bed along side his phone and badge.

Fortunately they were all within arm reach, so he grabbed the glass first, down the water, then got his phone. It was 11:40am which means that there was about two hours and twenty minutes before Nines returned. He surprised himself by that thought, wanting the android to be around, when a week ago he would have wanted him gone.

A click made him look toward the door, an android doctor walked in. She was one of the SR400 models, an android doctor. He has seen a few of these whenever he was sent to the hospital, surprising often enough as he was told that he didn’t have any self regard for his own safety sometimes. Sometimes putting it lightly.

"I see you have woke up again, good good." Says the android, as she scans him no doubt. "The wound was not infected, but it will need quite some time for it to heal, you are very lucky Mr. Reed, the bullet only punctured the outer part of your lung, and you were brought in rather quickly."

Gavin could only shrug, he had no one energy for any of this shit.

"Right then. Everything seems to be in order, please press the call button if you needed anything. They should be serving you breakfast very soon. I don’t have to remind you to take it easy." With that the SR400 left the room.

He was once again alone, well not completely alone, Dipshit was purring loudly by his side, which was doing wonders for his stress level. 

As promised his breakfast arrived five minutes later, the food isn’t always bad, at least that’s what he tells himself to be able to eat something. For today he got a a bowl of cereal, an apple juice, a small plate of eggs and bacon.  _ No coffee _ . He thinks as he pulls the plate closer, he was starving and he can’t say no to the food.

The TV worked both as a distraction and as a background noise while he eats. Disphit rubbed against him after smelling the food and now using her best tactic to get a piece or whatever he is having. He gave in, of course, giving her a small piece of the bacon. At that exact moment the door opened, and he half expected to see a tall, icy blue eyes someone walk in, but was quickly disappointed that it wasn’t.

"Hello Gavin"

Gavin heaved a sigh, "Do you ever just decide to come see me when I’m in hospital?"

Elijah Kamski merely shrugged as he walked to the bed, placing a bouquet of flowers and a get well balloon by the bedside table. "This is the only time you seen the most placid enough for me to be around." He knew his little brother didn’t hate him but found him annoying as he kept telling him, that doesn’t mean Elijah isn’t going to visit him whenever he got hurt.

With a scoff, Gavin pushed his tray of food away from him, and tried his best to cross his arms without wincing, but failed.

"Well I’m okay, you came saw me and now you can go"

"Always so passive aggressive, little brother." The haughty asshole took whatever Gavin said as permission to take a seat. He sees that Chloe wasn’t around, but he knows she was either standing outside or maybe in the parked car somewhere.

The younger of the two fell quiet, he knows that he can’t talk Elijah into leaving and honestly? He’s too exhausted to even try.

Kamski took a good look around the room, searching for something, and Gavin knows exactly what he’s searching for.

"He’s not here if you’re looking for him." Gavin says while petting his cat.

"Hm, thought he would be. The nurses have informed me that the android wouldn’t leave your side." Elijah explains, directing his full attention to his brother. The main reason for him visit is to check on his brother par the course, but having the android that seemed to have escaped is intriguing to him. The android is after Cyberlife’s last and the most advance android.

Not surprised by the lack of reaction, but he continued, "Your hospital bills have been paid."

"Don’t bother the DPD will take care of it." Gavin growled, he didn’t hate his brother, not really but it’s taking him a while to get used to his brother being back into his life again.

Kamski only left half an hour before Nines arrived. Gavin wasn’t able to have his awful breakfast in peace.  
  


**_ Frosty Terminator: 1:45pm _ **

_ Detective, I am on my way to the hospital. Is there anything you would like me to pick up for you from home?  _

_ **Detective Reed: 1:47pm** _

_ No.  _

_ **Detective Reed: 1:47pm** _

_ Actually, coffee.  _

A big smile plastered on Gavin’s face when Nines walks in with a takeaway cup from the coffee shop that he sometimes gets his morning coffee from. He made a grabby hands at the coffee till Nines passed the cup to him. The android seemed amused, with a subtle smile. 

"That is the exact reaction my system have preconstructed. Maybe even better." 

Gavin glared, but there were no hostility behind it, mild annoyance maybe, but since he helped fix Nines he haven’t felt any hostility toward the android. He wouldn’t say he’s grown fond of him, but it’s scary how close he is to. 

A brown paper bag was placed on the human’s lap, it contained a croissant, which disappeared very quickly, it seems the pain didn’t really affect Gavin’s appetite much. 

Icy blue eyes studied the bouquet of flowers with paltry interest. He didn’t question why it was there, but Gavin can tell that the temptation to is strong. 

He toyed with the half full cup, staring firmly at it, it’s not like it’s some big secret that his brother is the former CEO of Cyberlife, but that doesn’t mean he likes discussing it. "Uh, my brother was here earlier." 

The LED went from blue to yellow then immediately back to blue. "I wasn’t aware that you had a sibling." 

"Yeah well I don’t really like to talk about it, but I have an older brother." 

"Your personal file doesn’t mention a brother." However, the nurse did mention a visitor and that Gavin’s medical bill have been paid. The RK waited for Gavin to continue, but it looks like the conversation about his sibling is over. He didn’t press or pry, simply nodded. 

Gavin scowled, "Don’t go snooping into my personal life, prick, and don’t even try to scan me" 

Another nod, though even when Nines isn’t scanning the detective, his vitals are always at the bottom of his HUD anyway. He wasn’t sure when that happened, but he didn’t try to swipe it away, he kept it. 

"My apologies, Gavin" 

"Whatever, tincan" Gavin down the rest of his coffee, and before he had a chance to wonder where the hell he can toss the cup, Nines took it from his hand. 

"I thought I’d inform you that we found another android body, this one was not drenched, however the android had little to no physical harm, it seems that their software have shut down somehow. The lack of evidence is not something I find pleasing." LED shifted from blue to yellow for a couple of seconds. 

"Yeah well get used to it, big guy. You can’t sold every mystery that comes your way, at least not as fast as you’d like" Gavin says with a wave of his hand.

For the first time, the android looked slightly perplexed, and piqued. "I was specifically designed to solve any problem I face, I have a database almost as big as google itself." 

Something flashed in Nines’ eyes, that Gavin almost missed were he a second late. He huffed, pretended he doesn’t see how upset the military android before him is. "Yeah well you’re a deviant right? Guess you can’t have all the answer, no one does. That’s life, don’t let it bother you."

The RK cocked his head, "You know, I do not comprehend how the other officers find you, and I quote ‘such an asshole’ when I’ve seen nothing but kindness and selflessness from you." 

A loud snort escaped Gavin, he couldn’t help it. This must be the first time someone associated him with these nouns.  _ But it did something to his chest _ , his heart rate quickened, and the heart machine beeped faster. 

The taller man dared to look concerned at the machine then at his partner. "Detective?"

"I’m  _ fine _ . What makes you think I’m any of these?" Gavin almost spat.

"They are based on my interactions with you." Simple yet affective. 

The human scoffed, but made no further comment .  Instead, he tried to change the topic. 

"So you said you found another body, right? Did you make any progress regarding the case?" He asked instead, "Like maybe try to get the evidence that shows that their software has been hacked into or something that lead them to shut down?" 

The android’s LED spins yellow, then he shook his head. "I am unable to access their software, it has been secured. It might take some time to solve this mystery."

"Well we’ll solve it. I just gotta find a way to leave this damn hospital-"

"You will not be leaving till the doctor deems it safe for you to do so. Until then, you are remaining in this hospital." Funny how Nines tries to glare at him, thinking it would actually work. 

"Whatever, tincan" 

The human slouched back onto the bed, Dipshit taking advantage of the moment and immediately settled on her human’s lap, purring contently. The curtain was drawn back, he can see how heavily it was snowing outside. Gavin shifts his gaze toward the android, finding Nines’ staring right back at him. His gaze calculating something, icy blue glimmering as he took every bit of information about the detective. 

"Are you planning on staying here till I’m discharged, toaster?"

Nines blinked, "Yes. Would you rather that I remain home alone?"

_ Home.. _

Gavin hummed, then rolled his shoulder in a half a shrug. "Guess not. Not gonna have you snoop around the house while I’m not there." His hand moved to pet his cat. He wonders where’s her litter box placed, probably in the bathroom. Knowing Nines, he doesn’t have to asked or remind to feed the cat. 

Nines moved toward the bed to give the cat a pet of his own. "Shall you need anything, I’m here to help. You should not be leaving bed without assistant." A stern look made Gavin reconsider his original plan of leaving the bed whenever Nines isn’t here just to walk around the room. 

The detective might suspect it, but Nines have asked the nurse and doctor to keep him informed of anything and everything related to Gavin.

* * *

A week later Gavin was discharged, and brought home by his partner. Nines was good at multitasking, he somehow carried the cat’s carrier, supported Gavin and held his duffel bag all at once. Fucking perfect android, but Gavin can’t be mad at him. He was placed gentle on the couch, heaving a tired sigh. Nines freed Dipshit from her carrier and took the the duffel bag to the detective’s room, he will deal with it later, then joining him on the couch.

The detective still had a long journey to recovery, a minimal of a week or two of home rest before he is able to return to the precinct, but Nines knows better, and knows that his human would want to head back to work as fast as possible. 

It was still a little uncomfortable for Gavin to sit slouched down on the couch, unlike the hospital bed, he can’t pile up pillows behind his back in a way that wouldn’t send stinging pain through his chest. 

The spent the rest of the day binge watching movies that Nines questioned more than their logic. Gavin might act indifferent, but he loves days like these were he can spend it with Nines watching movies, arguing about one theory or another about the movie they watched while they, or well he had dinner. It’s slowly becoming harder and harder for him to imagine his daily life without the stoic frosty android. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoy this chapter 🥺💞


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gavin shoves his hand into his jacket, seeking warmth, not a few minutes later, it begins to snow. He turned around to say something, but what greeted him is something so captivating that the words died in his throat, as he stares at the scene before him. 
> 
> Nines, the supposed military killing machine was standing tall, hand raised to level with his face, catching as much snow in his warm palm as possible, blinking slowly at the snow that was falling from the sky.

A week after remaining strictly home, Gavin was finally allowed back into the precinct. There was nothing surprising about the fact that Nines is official a detective in the DPD, they have celebrated a few nights ago- well Gavin ordered donuts and that’s how they celebrated. He would lie if he said he didn’t feel a rush of pride when he heard about it. Another thing he missed was he got a partner, Nines have told him he picked a new partner, he haven’t expected it to be him.

Their desks are connected now, so Nines was to remain with him, and that didn’t bother him, not one bit, despite the common belief that Gavin was going to throw a tantrum about being partnered with an android, little did they know that said android lives with him, well a few knew but he definitely was not gonna fucking confirm it to anyone aside from Tina and Chris.

Technically he wasn’t fully healed, but he is able to support himself, and do most of his daily chores himself. Two weeks away from work is more than enough for him, and as for his frosty android? He went to work whenever he was needed, but returned home early insisting that he had to look after Gavin was within itself was.. endearing.

Gavin plumped down on his desk, turning his terminal on, then went through his emails, reading a reminder from Fowler that Nines is now his partner, and truth be told, he looks forward to it.

With being back from a medical leave, he knew that Fowler wouldn’t hand him any field work, so desk work it is for a couple of days. Gavin can see that Nines is working on his terminal, filling reports from what he can tell. So overall, a boring day at work.

"This is absolute bullshit, I can do my work just fine, why the fuck am I stuck on desk duties for two more days?" Gavin groused on his break, leaning on the table, while he watches Nines make him a cup of coffee- even though Gavin remember clearly that he said he isn’t going to.

"It’s for your own good, Detective. You took a bullet to the lung, it isn’t a matter that should be taken lightly."

An upturn appeared on the Android’s face when Gavin groaned loudly, showing how displeased he was about all this.

When the steaming coffee cup landed in Gavin’s hand, the human detective begun treading toward the exit door, followed by his _official_ partner.

"Detective?" Nines’ LED was spinning yellow, as he watched the detective head the other way to where his car was parked, and continued on foot instead. It wasn’t snowing, but his system tells him there is a 90% chance that it will in the next five minutes.

"We’re going on a little walk, don’t tell me you haven’t had one of those?"

"I actually have not."

"Well it’s your lucky day, you get to go on one with me" Gavin flashed Nines a genuine grin, one that lacks sarcasm. Nines saved it in his ever growing Gavin Reed folder.

They walked, he wasn’t sure if the detective had a specific destination or if he’s merely walking a usual route of some kind. Nines refrained from asking, but trusted his human.

Gavin shoves his hand into his jacket, seeking warmth, not a few minutes later, it begins to snow. He turned around to say something, but what greeted him is something so captivating that the words died in his throat, as he stares at the scene before him.

Nines, the supposed military killing machine was standing tall, hand raised to level with his face, catching as much snow in his warm palm as possible, blinking slowly at the snow that was falling from the sky.

The stoic man have witnessed snow before, but it was in a completely different circumstance, a bad one, weeks ago when he was slowly dying in the snow.

He never realized how pretty it actually was, never paid attention before now.

Gavin stood a feet away, witnessing it all. How Nines’ eyes gleamed as he stared at the sky, watching snowflakes fall and pile up on his open palm. Coating his hair and Cyberlife jacket, but blending in well with their colors. He had to blink a few times to draw himself back to the present.

At that moment, Nines wipes his hand on his white trousers, and then crossed the distance to stand next to Gavin before they started moving again. Gavin pulled his hoodie up, he keeps forgetting that his jacket was not made for these freezing weathers.

"Detective?"

"Hm?"

"I think I’m enjoying this walk. Is it something that you do usually?" Nines inquires, as keep moving forward, the snow kept falling, but he’d hardly say that the weather is getting colder.

A snort escaped Gavin’s lips without his permission. "Yeah I said you will." It’s scary how much he enjoys his time with this beautiful tin can, he tried not to think about it, as they turn around and head back to the precinct.

If they stop by a coffee shop that sold coffee and thirium based coffee no one has to know.

Gavin remain in his seat for the rest of his shift, he shouldn’t have walked for too long in the cold weather, his healing injury sting, he winced every time he had to stand up too fast, and every time he did, Nines looked up with concern.

More bodies appeared during the week he had off, and most if not all lacked signs of struggling, mostly indicating that the victim most probably were shut down before they were ‘murdered’.

Gavin turned his terminal off at 3PM, gathering his files and belongings ready to leave for the day, Nines in tow.

* * *

Flopping on his couch, Gavin sighed, he has the tv on, but barely looked up at what was being displayed. Nines walked into the living room in a black sweatsuit that Gavin bought him, and pretended that he had it laying around and that he no longer needed it. Nines clearly didn’t buy it, but took it anyway, along with other clothes that the detective gotten him. He likes wearing them when they were home, however he always wore his Cyberlife issued android uniform for work, freshly washed and ironed.

Gavin have ordered takeaway again, the RK900 wanted to protest, inform the detective that it isn’t healthy, albeit something tells him the human already knows. Maybe offer to cook him something instead, again he has a feeling that Gavin wouldn’t like that, he keeps telling the android that he isn’t his maid.

They had an evening routine, one that they fell into very quickly. It usually involved them watching movies or playing some of Gavin’s favorite old video games- which usually Nines won with little to no problem.

Today was no different, they were sitting before the TV, watching another ‘classic’ according to his human detective. It’s no surprise to find that the movie is robot related of some sort, however this one is an animation. This is the very first animated movie they will be watching, and according to Gavin, he will enjoy it.

Dipshit the cat have jumped onto the couch and joined them, she stretched before settling on Gavin’s lap, purring, and meowing every time he stopped petting her.

"Is this a film you grew up watching?" Nines asked, as he gave part of his attention to the screen before them.

"Oh yeah, Disney films have always been a thing I watched as a kid, even through my teen and adult years. It’s just that good" Gavin explaining, trying to mentally compose a list of other Disney movies they should watch, along side the other movies they should. God there are so many films to consume, and most of them to witness Nines’ reaction to everything the movies have to offer, from jokes, to plots and ideas.

Similarly to deviancy, he wasn’t meant to like or appreciate the intimacy and domesticated life, but he finds himself liking it more and more the more he spent his time with his brash human that has no business making him feel things he never thought he could, yet he does.

"Hey tincan look at that marshmallow for a robot, that’s basically you"

Nines tilted his head, opening his mouth to explain that he sees no similarity between him and the nursing robot on tv, but he couldn’t say that with how elated and enthusiastic the human is about this comparison, so he settled for a soft glare that got better results than he expect.

Gavin laughed, throwing his head back and clasping his hand on Nines’ knee. "You know I’m right. You’re not as intimidating once people actually get to know you.

"I don’t care for people to know me, the only person I do care about however, is you, Gavin"

Clearing his throat, and suddenly finding the cat in his lap more interesting to look at than anything else in the room. Or maybe he was just avoiding Nines’ gaze as he felt his face heat up.

* * *

"Fuck this shit" Gavin grumbled, as he exit his car, teeth chattering at how damn cold it was out. And the fact that they were called out to a crime scene at 3 at the crack of fucking dawn. He only manage to get about two hours or less of sleep before his phone started screaming with that annoying jingle when he was sleeping comfily in his bed.

"I have advised you against wearing your leather jacket as it does not provide you with the necessary warmth in this weather, but you continue to ignore me" Gavin can almost hear the bit of emotions there, the not exactly disappointed, but more concern in his tone.

"Shut it tin can" Gavin stubbornly stopped rubbing his arms for warmth, he is not about to prove the toaster right by appearing as cold as he fucking feels, but _fuck_ if he wasn’t freezing his ass out.

As they moved through the thick snow toward the building, an officer warned them about how brutal this crime scene is.

These cases are getting out of hand, and if they didn’t act fast, the FBI might try to get a piece of the action, and that is not something they want, ever.

The officer wasn’t wrong, the criminal is getting more creative with the killings. This time they barely have a corpse to examine, there was a burnt shell of what the murderer android used to be. Gavin turned around to give a silent reassurance to his partner, who in turn caught his gaze, and stared with a blinking yellow LED. Then Nines approaches the body, kneeling to scan whatever he can.

Gavin clenched his fist, the longer they take to solve this case the more victims fall into the clasps of this murderer and it makes Gavin angry. They have to work faster, find more leads, work more on this case, _fuck!_

His partner got his attention with a simple gesture of his head. "Gavin"

With the human’s undivided attention. "Yeah?"

"Your heart beat has elevated, are you alright?"

"I’m peachy. Focus on the corpse, robocop." The stress was not helping his mood, but making it worst. He didn’t mean to snap at Nines.

Nines’ brows furrowed, not at what the detective have said, his scans informed him of how stressed he is, but due to the lack of evidence and therefore lead. They left the scene analogously to how they came, with barely anything to go on. Gavin have spat a few chosen curse words as they walked into the bitter cold air of January. "This is absolute bullshit. The fucker must have slipped somewhere, this can’t keep happening."

"I understand, detective. We’re doing all we can-" The RK started but cut himself off, straining his hearing, then started walking to one of the patrol cars.

"Hey- hey where the hell are you going?" The tall android must have seen something or he wouldn’t just start walking away with such purpose mid conversation.

Gavin ran after Nines, almost slipping on snow once. He stopped where Nines was kneeling, endeavoring to coax something from underneath the car.

"Hey what you got down there, big guy?" Nines too busy with what he was doing, didn’t answer his partner, pulling himself halfway under the damn car, then pulling out, face and clothes coated in snow, but he seems proud of himself. Nines was cradling a small creature under his jacket, shielding it from the cold.

"Oh shit, is that a cat?"

"It is indeed." The android didn’t bother brush off any of the snow, as he doesn’t feel the cold anyway. They returned to their car, and Nines suggested that Gavin carries the cat, as he is warmer, Gavin didn’t question it.

Once home, Gavin settled the cat onto the floor, "Lock Dipshit in my bedroom, we’ll have to introduce them slowly" knowing Dipshit, she might get extremely jealous of this new cat. They haven’t discussed what they’ll do with it just yet.

Gavin kneeled to have a better look at the cat, it looks to be at least a year old, it had gray and white fur, and it doesn’t seem to be scared of humans. It’s possible that it used to have a home, or at least was used to people.

Although they only had the cat for a couple of minutes, Gavin noticed how the cat always had her tongue out. "What a cute blep"

"Is that what you are calling the cat?" Nines called from where he was rummaging in the kitchen after locking Dipshit in the bedroom for now. The detective assumed that Nines was getting the cat some food, except he showed up at the living room with a bowl of thirium.

"Uh, what the fuck are you doing? We are trying to save her not kill her!"

The RK did not look amused at all, which baffled the human. "What-"

"If you’d look closely, Gavin, you’d know that the cat is an android" Nines says.

Gavin did, he took a closer look, and the damn android was right. Hidden under the fur was the LED spinning a soft blue, as the cat purred like any other cat as she started licking the thirium that Nines settles in front of her face. "She is a TB300, a domesticated android cat, released in 2036."

The shorter man hummed as he kept staring at the cat, he doesn’t believe he’s seen an android cat up close before. It looked exactly like any cat, even the fur was just so similar. He wonders if android animals are able to deviate.

"Is Belp the designation you picked for her?" Nines inquires, as he looked between the cat and the human.

The confusion cleared out a minute later, "Blep is the thing she does with her tongue but-" he paused, Blep is a funny but fitting name for a cat. "Yeah, guess we can call her that." He doesn’t know what they’ll do with the cat, but for now he’ll allow Blep to remain here till they figure it out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoy the chapter! 💞


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Are you really gonna pretend like those pieces of shits didn’t just toss you out like some busted mannequin? Like they didn’t fucking try to have you shut down for good?" If he didn’t take a breath right then, he wouldn’t have known he had been holding his breath since this conversation has started. "They fucking committed a crime and you just gonna let them off?"
> 
> LED blinked yellow, "We don’t have any evidence, and quite frankly I would rather not have to deal with them if I could get away with it."

The day started as any other, Gavin’s at his desk after fetching himself a cup of steaming brown liquid of goodness from the break room. Wish he can say the same about their case, it was going horribly, more bodies, more victims, it was downright infuriating. They weren’t any closer to cracking the damn case, and it’s beginning to take its toll on him.

Of course the RK900 had to keep reminding him of it’s effects. "Detective, your stress level have been elevating since we walked in."

"Astute observation, snowman" Gavin grunts, in between sips.

LED circled amber, "I am not made out of snow, Detective, despite the fact that I may resemble one."

Gavin knows better, he knows that Nines wasn’t being intentionally smug, but he sure as hell sounded like he was. He ignores the tinman for long as he can.

Which wasn’t too long, in his humble opinion.

"Another body was brought in this morning" Nines cites the report that was displayed on his HUD. "Another android fished out of the Detroit’s river, however this one is missing a few components, mainly thirium pump, and few other major components"

"The body’s here?"

"Indeed it is, in the morgue considering that androids are living beings now." Nines’ attention suddenly snaps to the other RK unit that just has entered the bullpen, making a clear beeline for Nines, who did not want to engage in a conversation with the other android. "I’ll make a head start"

The frosty android can hear his partner laugh as he takes debatably quick steps toward the targeted room. Gavin manages to catch up within a few seconds. "Jesus, slow down you overgrown freezer! Connor isn’t chasing us if that’s who you’re trying to elude."

"I have no idea what you are implying, Gavin." The RK900 ripostes, slowing his steps, matching the detective’s usual pace instead. "I was merely saving time by working on our case as fast as possible."

"Uh-huh. Sure. Let’s go with that _likely_ story. What are you even scared of, aren’t you like better than him in every possible way?"

"I most certainly am not scared." Nines pauses, musing something over in his supercomputer of a brian. "I- well I am his successor, yet he has more knowledge and experience when it comes to being alive."

"Yeah well he’s technically your older bro, right? Trust me, it’s nothing to worry about. As annoying as older brothers can be, it isn’t all bad I suppose." The human shoved his hand deep into his leather jacket’s pocket.

"Spoken from experience, detective?"

"Maybe." Gavin shrugged, as he walks into the lab. The waterlogged android was laying on a bed, chest cavity widely open, and even from a distance, the lack of bio components is clear as a day.

He leaned over the body, examining it without really touching anything. The body seems to have been under water for a while, there is a thin layer of algae. If he had to guess, he would say the body was submerged for a week at least.

"Notice anything, terminator?" Androids are better at analyzing and cataloguing evidence, so he hopes Nines is able to see something he couldn’t.

"Just how many nicknames do you have for me, detective?" Nines’ insouciant about the nicknames themselves, however he is quite intrigued by the reason as to why the detective has so many nicknames for him, aside from it causing some sort of amusement.

"Enough," The wink that accompanied it was worth the subtle mirth on Nines’ face.

Accepting that as a respond, Nines dived back to work, scanning the body before him, filing notes, and results that his scans has came up with. Most facts do check off. "Most scans gives us nothing new, I need more time to determine if the removal of bio components is indeed the cause of death."

Gavin shrugged, they have time to examine the body more thoroughly, he’ll just lean against the far wall, giving his partner all the time he needs to find a lead. When an hour passed with no such luck they decided to head back to their desks, but by then their lunch break was overdue.

It’s frustrating when they work on cases for weeks and still get no leads, especially when it costs them more casualties.

Wallowing in frustration, Gavin was startled by two hands massaging his shoulders tenderly.

"What in-"

"Your stress levels is rising. A break would do you good, detective. Would you like a cup of coffee?" Nines’ voice was eerily soothing, barely above a whisper, his hands working skillfully melting the tension away.

Mouth firmly shut, Gavin doesn’t trust his voice not to crack while speaking, so he says nothing.

That of course only lasted for so long, a minute later his terminal pinged with a dispatch, an android was seen shoved into a van by someone, so the neighbors have taken it upon themselves to report it.

A patrol car was chasing after the perp, and within ten minutes they were joined by Gavin and Nines. With a gesture from the human, signaling that they are taking care of the runaway from here. Nines rolled his window down, sticking his head out, and Gavin hopes he’s running some kind of calculations in his head of how to stop that damn car, and rescuing the android inside.

Gavin kept his eyes on the van, it was gaining speed, and so did he. It’s been five minutes since the chase started, and Nines can see that the detective is tense all over again.

Since joining the DPD, Nines haven’t had the chance to test the true potentials of his skills as a combat and military android, and it seems that an opportunity has revealed itself. With that, Nines throw open the car door, and jumped out, closing door before surpassing the detective’s car in pursuit of the perp.

That little stunt have left Gavin speechless all for a few seconds, "Hey dickhead what the fuck do you think you’re.. doing." The last bit was uttered under his breath as Nines was already out of earshot anyway.

Gavin watches in utter dismay as with one jump, Nines landed on the roof of the van, then punch a fucking whole on top before jumping in. As if that’s something that normal fucking happens in car chases these days.

Like a fucking flabbergasting display of aptness, the car came to a sudden halt, causing Gavin hit the brakes with such force that almost had him face first into the windshield were he not wearing his seatbelt.

"What the fuck was that toaster?" Not caring who heard, cause right now he is beyond pissed. Nines however didn’t seem bothered by all of the yelling as he was handcuffing the man, after shoving him against the side of the van, reading him his rights before he escorts him to Gavin’s car. "We’ll discuss this later, detective. The android is still in the van, would you mind helping them out?"

Gavin did, not without string of every curse word he knows spoken under his labored breath. Heart still hammering painfully in his chest, unable to completely comprehend what just fucking happened with how fast it did.

* * *

Sat in the interrogation room, files scattered on the table in front of him, armed crossed, Gavin sent hard looks toward the man sitting in front of him. Mark Smith a former Cyberlife engineer was sitting in front of him, looking somewhat indifferent. His eyes was mostly staring blankly at the android that stood behind him like a looming shadow.

"Mark Smith, ex Cyberlife employee, huh?" Gavin conveys nothing but menace in his voice. "So you’ve been going around killing androids, and for what? Pity revenge? Is that what it is?"

Smith didn’t as much as blink, eyes firmly glued on Nines, then slowly an unsettling smile appears on his face. "RK900?" It probably takes him a moment to recognize him, he doesn’t remember his hair and clothes being white but he knows the android he and a team of other engineers helped built.

At the same moment, Nines seems to recognize the voice, he hasn’t seen or meet any of the engineers that worked on him, they regularly spoke to him through a speaker and behind two side mirrors. He was almost always left in a blinding white room, they kept conducting different experiments and scrutinization, assuring that he was the best and most resilient android Cyberlife has ever created. Their _pride and joy_ , of course that was all before Cyberlife was handed to Jericho, about half of the employees and engineers decided to remain to help and repair androids. The other half, it appears they still harbored grudges against androids, Mark here is an example of that.

"That actually you?"

Gavin frowned, refusing to turn to face Nines incase he sees the shock on the android’s face or any emotion of recognition toward Smith. "You know Nines?"

The sudden psychopathic laugh startled him, but only caused for Nines’ LED to circle between yellow and red. "You named the thing? Oh that’s precious."

"Answer the fucking question, Smith" Gavin snarls, showing teeth now.

"I was one of the engineers that worked on him before the revolution, then we let him go" That was partly true, however it hides the fact that Nines was tossed out, almost shut down rather than have been ‘ _let go_ ’.

"So you’re one of the scumbags that broke him and left him for dead in the snow after attempting to shut him down forcefully and permanently, fully knowing that it was illegal after the revolution?" There was something seething within him, a hand on his right shoulder holding him in place when he was a millisecond away from breaking the motherfucker’s face.

"Refrain from drifting further away from our topic, detective. We’re here to discuss the murder of the androids that have been drowned and shut down." Nines says in a monotone that Gavin never heard before, it sends a cold shiver down his body.

The air was tense for the rest of the interrogation, Nines focuses on the case at hand, he looked colder, more distance, and honestly Gavin can’t blame him. One of the assholes that wanted him dead is right there, sitting with a horrible confidence as he literally admits to his crimes, well all _but_ what he did to Nines.

Smith was escorted back into the holding cell for now, and only when he was out of sight did Nines ease up. The detective however was still beyond enraged.

Fuck he needs a smoke, or the whole pack if he was being frank.

Wordlessly he changed his path instead of heading to his desk, he takes a left to head to the back door for a much needed smoking break.

It doesn’t surprise him anymore having the android by his side when he has his smoke breaks, or when he goes anywhere really. The only exception being the bathroom, where Nines would wait outside instead.

"I don’t have to remind you of the dangers of smoking, do I, detective?" The ever stoic bundle of wires says.

"No, but how about you go build a snowman or some shit, Elsa?" He can’t believe it took him this long to think of this genius comparison.

Nines’ LED blinked yellow, most probably looking up the notion, before he opened his mouth, "I can see why you’d compare me to her, Detective. True to the words of the famous song, the cold does not bother me."

"Yeah yeah whatever smartass" His nerves pacifies with ever puff of smoke, and a comforting silence fell upon them for a moment. It gave Gavin a chance to mull over what happened back there. With no evidence of what they did to Nines and how they tossed him out like a useless piece of plastic.. it makes it hard to make an arrest.. _fuck_.

A moment passes before the android attempts to talk, "Detective"

"Hm"

Another moment goes by, "Why do you seem to be perplexed by Smith’s presence?"

He has got to be joking right now. Can’t Nines see how dirty they did him? Surely he harbors some kind of hatred toward those bastards, or at least anger.

"Are you really gonna pretend like those pieces of shits didn’t just toss you out like some busted mannequin? Like they didn’t fucking try to have you shut down for good?" If he didn’t take a breath right then, he wouldn’t have known he had been holding his breath since this conversation has started. "They fucking committed a crime and you just gonna let them off?"

LED blinked yellow, "We don’t have any evidence, and quite frankly I would rather not have to deal with them if I could get away with it."

"Nines.." Gavin rasps,

" _Detective_." Nines rejoins somberly. "That is quite enough. I would rather not allude to what happened." It was the scariest period of his life, and he does not want to relive through it again, not even in the form of memories. He has locked the events far back in his mind palace, he deviated after feeling immense terror, and he knows it is not exceptional, many androids were forced into deviation after some kind of trauma. Following ordered down to a T, a military android that was built to destroy and kill.. it’s petrifying. The trials he had to execute.. he simply isn’t proud of them, and he understands that it wasn’t him, not really.

Gavin sighs defeatedly, he has never seen Nines this upset before, so he simply kept his mouth shut and only when he finishes smoking a second cigarette, did he go back inside. It was difficult not letting what happened outside distract him from his work, and Nines not speaking to him till they they were in the car heading home has made it worst for him.

"Please understands that I am not upset with you, Detective." Nines finally says, after being quiet for the majority of today.

"Yeah, yeah I know, toaster." That was a relief, Gavin has been silently perturbed about it, thinking he somehow fucked up, and it’s such a comfort to know that Nines wasn’t vexed with him as he thought.

Gavin chances a look at Nines, to find that Nines has been looking at him the whole time from the passenger seat. He quickly returned his gaze to the road, feeling like his heart might stop, or bust out of his chest, _what was happening?_

* * *

**_Little bro: 9:50pm_ **   
_What do u know about Mark Smith?_

**_Snobby prick: 10:01pm_ **   
_He was a programmer working on the latest RK models, I think._

**_Snobby prick: 10:01pm  
_** _Why?_

**_Little bro: 10:03pm_ **   
_I can’t tell u much, but he was arrested for my and Nines’ latest case._

**_Snobby prick: 10:04pm_ **   
_Ah. You two are partners now?_

_**Little bro: 10:07pm** _   
_Trust u to focus on the most important part of that, asshole._

**_Little bro: 10:07pm (seen)_ **   
_But yeah._

Gavin heard rustling in the kitchen the whole time he was texting his brother, and it doesn’t take a genius to know that the frosty android that was _not_ made for domestic tasks is cooking him dinner, well a late dinner. For a military android, his food was smashing, and it makes Gavin want to almost never miss a meal.

Sometime later the android appeared in front of him with a small tray of homemade pizza and a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice, he even went the extra mile to also give him a bowl of sliced fruits.

Halfway through eating his food, he looks up to see Nines flashing him a subdued smile.

_Oh fuck he’s doomed, isn’t he._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 👀💞


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The RK didn’t understand why Gavin would do that, and a quick research suggest that humans buy things for people they like, be it a family member, a friend, or a lover. At a lost for words, but still wanting to show his appreciation. "Thank you detective" Nines says, followed by an awkward wrap of arms around Gavin. It was short and awkward, yet gratifying like nothing he has ever experienced before. Odd.

With their latest case solved and closed they were able to get a day off in the middle of the week, which was great, god knows Gavin needed the sleep.

And sleep is exactly what he did, but his phone switched off, and the cats wouldn’t yell at him for food, he knows that Nines has already fed them hours ago.

He leaves his bed, and goes through his morning routine which usually involves, a shower, washing his face and teeth and if he was feeling up for it, maybe shave if needed. There is extra step on his days off, like remaining in his sweats, and moving from the bed to the couch, and sometimes grocery shop if there was a dire need to.

Nines was sitting on the couch with Blep on his lap purring loudly, while Dipshit was trying to stick her head in Gavin’s coffee cup. "Hey hey hey!! Off!" He tries to shoo her away from his cup.

"Good morning Gavin"

Gavin grunts, sipping his coffee, he needs some of this brown goodness to be able to hold a normal conversation, especially this ‘early’ in the morning.

Nines’ donning one of his older sweats and a long sleeved shirt around the apartment never fails to not surprise him. Does anything look bad on him? the casual, laid back look looks good on him. White- that suits him too. A while back Gavin came across a white turtleneck, maybe he should go back and pick one up for the android, it would surely beat the lame Cyberlife clothes that Nines keeps wearing no doubt it’s the only thing he has, otherwise why would he be wearing that stupid staple of Cyberlife?

Only after his cup was vacant of liquid, did he look up at Nines, "Alright, as much as I love to spend my days off in, I think going out and getting you something better to dress in is, as you’d say ‘in order’"

"I don’t speak like that" the android protests, looking down at his clothes, it’s hard to dispute that, he does need better attire for his daily use. He also harbors a dislike for the logos and android indicators on his Cyberlife uniform- maybe not the uniform itself however.

"You speak fancy and all proper like you’re writing a formal report or some shit. No human talks like that"

"I’m not human-"

"I’m fucking aware, dickward." Gavin joins Nines on the couch. It’s usually where Nines goes into stasis, but apparently it isn’t a must. "So anyway, you up for a little shopping spree?"

"I wouldn’t be averse to the idea" Nines says slowly, as if considering the idea, turning it over in his head.

"But?"

"I didn’t receive my paycheck yet, I’ve only been working in the DPD for three weeks, or rather two weeks and two days"

"You’re worried about the money? Well you shouldn’t." Gavin might not be as rich as his older brother but he has enough to get by and more.

"We are not robbing a shop, Gavin. We enforce the law, not break it"

"Who said anything about robbing the damn place?" Gavin intervenes, "I’m paying for you, dumbass"

The RK didn’t understand why Gavin would do that, and a quick research suggest that humans buy things for people they like, be it a family member, a friend, or a lover. At a lost for words, but still wanting to show his appreciation. "Thank you detective" Nines says, followed by an awkward wrap of arms around Gavin. It was short and awkward, yet gratifying like nothing he has ever experienced before. _Odd_.

"Right, uh" Gavin feels like he was stumbling over his own words. "Let’s just go" when Nines moved toward the exit, "You’re leaving in these?"

RK looks down at his outfit, then back at the detective. "Is that a problem? You’re wearing something similar, plus your leather jacket that you seem rather sentimentally attached to"

God, that smart mouth is annoying the hell out of him but he also wants to kiss him.

* * *

The mall they found themselves at is far more crowded than Gavin have expected it to be on a Wednesday morning. Nines stayed suspiciously closer than usual, if Gavin had to guess, it’s because of how close people are walking.

Gavin scans the stores, trying to determine which one would suit Nines’ style, that’s when he realized that he didn’t even know what that looks like. "Uh, see anything you like, tincan?"

Nines perks, his attention back on his partner. "I’m uncertain, most shops look the same, I wouldn’t know where-" something caught his eyes, and he all but dragged Gavin halfway through the mall and into a shop, he saw a beautiful white coat displayed in the front and he never wanted an article of clothing so badly. Too busy to notice, he collects the coat, and finds a nice variety of cotton turtlenecks that he huddles in his arms, two of each color.

‘ _Jesus Chris_ ’ A laugh catches the advanced military Android’s attention, he turns around to find the detective chortling at him, or that’s what he assumes anyway. "Yes detective?"

"Nah, it’s nothing." Gavin’s quick to say, "You, uh, want some slacks to match with these?"

Nines’ eyes grew impossibly big and shiny. "I’d like that, Gavin"

Gavin coughs into his closed fist, "Yeah, yeah just pick some. We can try another shop too, don’t know if you noticed but the mall has loads of those"

The android looked a mix of amused and irked, well more amused.

"That would be $300" The lady behind the register says with her palm up and waits.

As Gavin hands her his card, he could have sworn he saw a glimpse of red, and when he turns around he sees that the light’s blinking yellow. "Hey don’t worry about it."

Nines nods, vowing to pay his partner back when he gets his paycheck. Carrying the bags back to the car was a mere bagatelle, they particularly weighted nothing.

Just as Nines walks to the passenger seat, did he realized that the detective was making his way back into the mall.

"Gavin?"

"We won’t leave till we have lunch" The human claims as ha walks back into the mall. It may be true that there is enough food- _thanks to Nines_ \- laying around the apartment for Nines to get creative but the frosty android does plenty for him around the place as it is, so in a sense.. this is a thank you. Not something he can say aloud though.

Marching to one of the joints in the mall, Gavin picked the one that has obnoxious flyers advertising their ‘new’ thirium based food and drinks. Nines tried some of them before, Gavin even remembers that one time the receptionist brought thirium donuts and how Nines’ LED preformed a little light show while he tries to settle on one emotion to describe how he felt about the food and the ‘taste’, cause apparently android food now has this taste or sensation, Gavin wasn’t paying attention to the description the android was giving him, but paying more attention to the stoic android himself.

The place was packed, and finding an empty table took a little over ten minutes, then one became available and they immediately settled down. Although it had been a little over a week and half, Gavin can still feel a phantom ache where he was shot almost two week ago.

The food listed is generic, but it’s more intriguing if you were an android, and Nines was no exception. Gavin peeks from behind his own menu, watching Nines’ LED blink yellow as he scans the list before him.

Before long their table was packed with food and two glasses of drinks. Nines looks relent as he examine the food before him, taking careful spoons and taking too long, in human standards, to take the second spoon. Gavin learned that this was still all foreign to Nines, who lived in a lab, strapped to a rig before he was inevitably tossed out like some broken doll. He can only imagine what had happened in that discreet Cyberlife lab, but he knows it fucked the android up pretty bad if his mannerism was anything to go by, for fuck’s sack the big softie of a supposed killing machine is too wary to walk more than a feet away from him. Not to forget how abundantly apprehensive he was when Gavin mentioned those fuckers. Nines wanted nothing to do with them, and Gavin can respect that, no matter how intrigued he was about the whole ordeal.

A satisfied hum brings him back from his little trance. "Is that your way of approving these blue mozzarella sticks"

To his _utter_ bafflement Nines nodded eagerly stuffing his mouth with another stick, which pulls another involuntary chortle out of Gavin. Refusing to acknowledge it, Gavin shoved a pizza slice into his mouth, distracting himself with the food, but gaze returning to RK every now and then.

The android either didn’t care or was too fixated to notice. Which suited Gavin just fine, he sets his arms on the table, taking sips of his cold beverage.

"Uh we can grab desserts for takeaway on the way out." The human advocates, and acts on it once they finish their lunch. Gavin told himself he could wait till he gets to his apartment, and then he can enjoy his sweet.

He turns on the lights, soon as he steps over the threshold, Dipshit making her presence known by meowing as loud as her little lungs allow. Nines’ right behind him, carrying his shopping bag while Gavin had the desserts with him.

From where he is standing, Gavin can see Blep loafing on the couch’s arm. She looked and felt like any other cat, he wonders if android animals can deviate, or if they were created with free will as a default setting. Making his way to her, Gavin scratches her under the chin, making her purr, and a small patch of fur was deactivated, and he can see the chassis underneath.. it somehow reminded him of when he tried to fix Nines on the night he found him. Man it felt like it was years ago, when it was only few weeks ago. It feels weird, thinking of the time he didn’t have a stoic murder bot roaming freely around his apartment.

Clinking sounds coming from the kitchen informs the detective that Nines was doing something there, probably preparing the spoiled cats some food. The android then moves back to the living room, putting his neatly folded clothes on the coffee table. Somehow the though of RK finally getting his own place leaves a bad taste in his mouth, and while it’s true he keeps bitching about sharing his living space with the android, but in reality, he doesn’t really mind it. It in some way feels right, he can’t explain it and it may not make sense but it just feels.. right.

His phone ringing in his pocket pulled him from his inner turmoil, he quickly picks it up. "Hey"

"Hello little bro" That fucking haughty voice.

"The fuck do you want?" Gavin groans, running his hand down his face tiredly. "And why the hell do you keep galling me on my days off?"

"Is this how you treat people who wants to invite you for a family dinner?"

Gavin leaned against his balcony’s glass door that was to the left of the living room, "You’re inviting me for a family dinner?" He hopes he didn’t sound as befuddled and he feels. He haven’t visited his brother for some time.

"Yes, tomorrow evening." Elijah falls quiet for a moment. "You can even bring your little android friend along."

A strong urge to hang up overtakes him, but he refrains, and sighs instead. "Is this some smartass ploy to have me bring you the android?"

Elijah gasps rather drastically, clearly exaggerating. "I would never. I just miss my little brother, I haven’t seen you in months Gav"

Pinching the bridge of his nose, Gavin exhales, he can’t fucking believe this. "Fine, whatever. One nerdy talk about how advance Nines is, and we’re leaving"

Ending the phone call proved to me more challenging than he expected, and so twenty minutes later he hang up. Nines was sitting in the living room watching a movie that was on the tv, with both cats huddled on his lap. His LED blinked yellow then back to calm blue.

"Uh, well seems like we are both invited to dinner tomorrow, tincan"

" _We_ , Gavin?"

"Yup. My brother wanted me to invite you" Gavin briskly explains, as if he himself wouldn’t have loved to have the android come along anyway.

"Oh" The LED circles yellow again, "I’d like to come" oh fuck, Nines might be stoic, but even Gavin can hear the zeal clear in his voice. "Predominantly because the last time you went out alone you got shot"

"Oh _come on_! You’re not here to fucking _babysit_ me, you overgrown freezer!" Gavin grouses, rubbing the scar on the bridge of his nose with his index finger, a nervous tic probably.

"Of course not detective." The bastard says with a hint of smugness in his tone.

"Fuck off" Gavin says halfheartedly, as he plunges himself on the couch next to the android, all while trying to smothering a smile. Excitement bubbling within him, one for finally seeing his brother - no matter how annoying he sometimes is- and another is having Nines accompany him there, which is weird within itself. He never brought anyone to meet his brother, well except maybe Tina and Chris but they are his friends which is kinda different.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed the chapter 🥺💞


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Jesus, Nines!" He expected Nines to be curious about it, ask questions, but he didn’t think this conversation is taking place right now. 
> 
> Nines simply tilts his head, eyes on him, "When you said you had a brother, I didn’t expect it to be Elijah Kamski. Was that who you called when you needed parts for me? Your ‘contact’ and ‘people you knew’?"

He shouldn’t be as nervous as he is right now, as he knocks the door. It’s just that hasn’t seen his brother in months, not counting the times he visited him in the hospital. To Gavin’s surprise it was his brother who got the door, not Chloe who usually greeted him and lead him to wherever his older brother was working on god knows what.

"Gav!"

He can feel the light show that’s taking place on Nines’ temple at this moment. No public file as much as connects him to Elijah Kamski, let alone mention him as family.

Gavin raised a finger, shutting him up, he walks inside before they could continue their conversation in case anyone could have seen or heard, which he doubts.

"Eli. Nice to see you"

Nines was simply looking between the two, as if that would help him comprehend what his optical units were seeing. "Elijah Kamski, the former founder of Cyberlife is your brother?"

"Shocking, isn’t it? We literally look nothing alike" Gavin simply shrugs as he walk past his brother and halfway through the corridor before stopping and looking at the other two men hovering by the door staring at him.

"What?"

Elijah shakes his head and joins him, "Brash as ever"

"Ah now I fucking remember why I don’t ever come to visit" Gavin scoffs, shoving his hands into his jeans pockets, tapping his foot impatiently till Nines was by his side.

Kamski lead them to a big open room, with his infamous red pool sitting to one side. He walks to the ceiling to floor window, taking one of the few seats available.

Gavin took the one facing his brother, and Nines took the one to his left. The android was awfully quiet, Gavin kept taking glances at him, his LED was blue, surely that means he was alright, right?

"And you must be the RK900 my brother have kindly taken in?"

Yet another reason that reminds Gavin why he doesn’t visit as often as he should. _Fucking asshole._

With attention now to the detective’s older brother, who also happens to be the reason that androids exists. "That would be correct, Mr. Kamski. However I go by Nines now"

"Huh" gaze switched to Gavin, giving him a look that made the detective feel vulnerable for damn whatever reason, then returning to stare at the most advance android that Cyberlife has ever created. “Interesting"

Gavin clears his throat loudly. "We’re not here for you to stare at my partner like you’re gonna prey on him, prick. He’s a guest, and if you can’t handle that then we can leave right now"

"Always ready to leave. I haven’t done anything" Elijah says calmly, now facing Gavin. "Chloe wouldn’t be happy if she knew you left before you tried her cooking she’ll be devastated"

Gavin groans, crossing his arms. "How’s Chloe doing?"

"She’s great, been trying to improve her cooking skills."

"But she’s a great cook?"

Eli laughs at that, finding it amusing for whatever reason. "That’s what I keep telling her. She’s trying her hand at some exotic food too"

Gavin made a face, he wasn’t exactly a fan of exotic food. "She better not be experimenting with our dinner"

"Why are there no records of you and Gavin being a family?" Nines speaks for the first time since they sat without being spoken to.

"Jesus, Nines!" He expected Nines to be curious about it, ask questions, but he didn’t think this conversation is taking place right now.

Nines simply tilts his head, eyes on him, "When you said you had a brother, I didn’t expect it to be Elijah Kamski. Was that who you called when you needed parts for me? Your ‘contact’ and ‘people you knew’?"

Gavin groans, running his hand down his face. This isn’t the fucking time to disclose about his family, and goddamn childhood. "Fuck, _you know what_? Yeah, yeah he’s my older fucking brother. He’s the one who visited me in the hospital when you were at the precinct. No official database has us as brothers ‘cause it’s safer that way, for me, for him. And before you ask, Fowler, Tina and Chris know, I have a suspicion that Hank knows but he never asked so I could be wrong." He took a breath, but continued, spouting everything out in one go, wanting to get it over and done with. "If you’re wondering about our surnames it was changed purposely for this. Reed is our mom’s maiden name, I changed it into that cause, you know it’s less suspicious, and honestly? I prefer it to Kamski" he turns to his brother with a grin, " _No offense_ "

Kamski only hums, seeming to take some offense to that, but not enough to say anything.

Nines’ LED hasn’t stopped spinning, _yellow, yellow, yellow.._

"Any more questions?" Gavin challenges, if he knew this is gonna turn into some kind of interrogation he wouldn’t have accepted the dinner invite. Jesus.

"No, for the time being." The android says, worrying his fingers.

Just when Gavin was slowly getting used to the serene, his brother opened his mouth. "I’m surprised you were this calm explaining it." He gave Nines a glance, then stands up just as Chloe enters the room.

"Dinner is ready" She says calmly, standing by the door, ready to lead them to what he assume is gonna be the dinning room where they usually have their meals.

As she walks them there, she started one small talk or another, asking Gavin how he has been, how he’s missed in this large house, and that she and Elijah would love to have Gavin, and his partner of course, over more often.

Gavin simply hums to all of that, not really promising anything but also not flat out refusing either. He took his usual seat at the table, and Nines to no one’s surprise takes the seat to his left. What was surprising however is that Chloe has prepared some thirium based food for Nines as well, which the android eyed with interest. Gavin stifles a laugh, god how was anyone suppose to believe that Nines was originally created to be a _ruthless killing machine_?

The dinner went bizarrely well. There were a few small talks here and there, Elijah being Elijah asked a few questions, and by the end of it, the topics switched from pleasant and nice to deadly serious. The topic of Cyberlife trying to eliminate whatever could expose them was the main gist of it.

"Do you know why you was tossed out?" Elijah starts, as Chloe and her sisters begin to put the dishes away.

"Eli-"

Kamski interrupts what he assumes is his little brother’s start at a protest.

"If what you told me before carries any truth to it, then Cyberlife has a ploy that might be bigger than both us."

Gavin doesn’t like this, not one bit.. but his brother might be right. Fuck he hated it when his stupid brother was right.

Nines takes this as a cue to speak. "My guesses are that after the revolution having an RK900 model designed to eliminate deviants and work in both police and military fields, well isn’t something people would find settling, I think they saw me as a threat and now that androids have rights, they couldn’t keep experimenting, so they did what they think was the smartest course of action, cut any threads leading back to them."

Elijah hums, Gavin muses. Part of Cyberlife is being handed over to Jericho, he heard it over the news the other day, and he doubts Cyberlife wants to be caught experimenting with androids after the revolution was a success.

"Sounds typical of Cyberlife" Gavin huffs, crossing his arms over his chest.

Nines has to agree, "It is. Now that I absconded they cannot do much, not with the laws placed to protect androids and give them rights against anyone that wants to hurt them."

"The shit they can. You work for the police too, so they better think twice before even trying." Gavin growls, unaware of the look his brother momentarily gives him.

Both detectives are caught off guard when Kamski claps his hand and rubs them together. "Alright then."

"Alright?"

"I didn’t invite you all the way here to have dinner then immediately leave, Gav. I’d suggest we go for a little swim in my pool but I already know your opinion about that- what did you call it? Jelly pool?"

"No one in the whole damn city of Detroit has a red fucking pool. I’d ask Nines to analyze it, but I’m sure even he’s not sticking his tongue in that sordid water." Gavin makes a face, one that Nines immediately commit to memory. The word _cute_ was provided helpfully by his system.

Nines tilts his head, simply watches the conversation gets thrown back and forth between to the two brothers.

It seems that this is typical of them, as Chloe only sighs, while she collects the last of the cutlery and plates.

_Is this normal for them?_ He asks through a lot wireless communication channel.

_It is. Especially when they haven’t seen each other in so long._ She replies while heading out of the room.

Interesting.

While he snaps out of his haze, he notices that the conversation has shifted and now both brothers are looking at him, each for their own reasoning.

"Say, Nines, is this your original design?" Gavin snarls at his brother, clearly agitated by his brother’s probing, Nines can’t stay he doesn’t feel the same way.

Nines forces his gaze away from his partner, "If you are referencing to my appearance, then no. My original design had me as a brunet, and my Cyberlife jacket was suppose to be black and white, however after I was casted out, my body needed to reserve energy thus using lighter pigmentation but it seems that it has been damaged as I can’t change it manually."

The former CEO of Cyberlife hasn’t had the chance to say anything when detective’s phone pinged with a few messages. He frowned and checked the watch on his wrist, then released a string of curses under his breath as he stood up. "Welp, we gotta dip out."

At that moment Nines has received what he assume is the same alert as his partner. There is a new crime scene for them to analyze.

"So soon?" Elijah whined, getting to his feet. "I thought you’d stay for a while."

"Sorry big bro, but duty calls" Gavin retorts, stretching before he pats his brother on the shoulder then proceeds to makes his way to the door, starting with slow steps but speed up when he was sure Nines was right behind him.

"Well see you, Gav. Be expecting another invitation from me, we barely had time to hang"

Gavin just waves him off, as they head to the car that was parked outside. He might actually look forward to that, especially when they haven’t talked in a long time.

* * *

The crime scene in question was a room in an apartment in the rundown area of Detroit. Gavin wasn’t exactly surprised of the condition they found the apartment in, most furniture was moldy and rusty, floors covered in a thick layer of dust, and the place smelled of decay. He wrinkles his nose as he moves further into the place, the body was laying in the cramped bathroom, shards of glass littered the filthy tiles. A struggle clearly broke down.

"Time of death is 23 hours, 10 minutes, and 33 seconds" Nines chimps in from behind the detective. Unlike his partner he didn’t have to cover his nose. He has permanently pinned Gavin’s vitals on his HUD, the detective’s stress level is currently at a standard 39%, which is by no means ideal, but the detective’s stress level naturally falls around 27%-39%.

"Let me guess, cause of death a knife stab?" Gavin says beguilingly, gesturing in the general area of the corpse.

The frosty android did not look amused, not one bit, which caused his partner to chortle.

"Can’t take a bit of sarcasm?"

"You have never stopped at a bit of sarcasm detective. Especially not right now." Nines icy blue eyes falls once more on the knife that was still jammed into the victim’s chest, blood long dried out on the clothes and the tiles.

Gavin hums affirmatively, pulling on two gloves before he steps in to examine the body that laid down on the bathroom grubby floor. The forensics should be on their way here as they speak, although he’s sure Nines could give him a full report of everything he’d need right now, he isn’t sure Nines would like to analyze anything in this revolting place, and he can’t exactly blame him.

"Alright give me a rundown"

"Jeremy Carter, 56 years old, he worked in a grocery store just down the road. He was reported dead by his landlord after he tries to ask for overdue rent payment. Criminal records: abuse of drugs, namely red ice." Nines elucidates, watching his humans check the victim’s clothes for any evidence, then get a closer look at the knife.

"Hm, could be a simple case of angry drug dealers offing him for not paying"

"That is plausible. We are still in need of evidence, till then it’s just a theory"

"Yeah it’s the most likely story, or he could have pissed off some dangerous crowd for whatever reason." They’ll have to search the apartment for any additional evidence.

"Jumping to more theories, detective?"

"Nah, just giving you a list of possibilities, and a little demonstration of some _detective skills_ " Gavin ripostes, with a grin and an attempt at a wink.

"Oh how would I solve any cases without your _experience and wisdom_ " it was Nines’ turn at smirking.

Gavin can feel his face warming up, and Nines wouldn’t inform him that his HUD informs him of a slight temperature rise on the human’s behalf, nor that his own thirium pump stuttered at the adorable look the detective has on his face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoy the chapter! 🥺💞
> 
> Well Nines now knows that Elijah and Gavin are brothers, and Elijah might have noticed a thing or two about his brother’s behavior around his partner 👀💞


End file.
